Ryder's Chance
by Jennoist-OTP
Summary: Ryder Lynn is one of McKinley High School's resident 'bad boys' -popular and infamous, nothing can stop him…nothing, perhaps, until mysterious Marley Rose transfers to his school and makes him question his priorities. Ryder never intended to fall in love, but when he does, can he change his bullying, womanising ways for her, or will he throw her away? Semi AU, Ryley. Please R R!
1. Chapter 1

**Hello all! I missed writing Ryley so when this idea popped into my head the other day I simply had to write it down :) I hope you enjoy the first chapter! Please give me a quick review to tell me what you thought.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything remotely related to Glee.**

Ryder Lynn walked off the football field and towards the locker room with an arrogant stride in his step, following his best friend, the school team's quarterback Jake Puckerman, who had left several minutes earlier. However, before he could get there, he had a microphone and video camera shoved into his face by McKinley's answer to Perez Hilton. He sighed; Jacob Ben-Israel was a nerd who needed a slushy in his face as soon as possible, but Ryder understood that social media exposure was vital to maintaining his popularity, so obligingly let the curly haired gossip conduct his interview.

"I am currently with Ryder Lynn, Titans' football player, notorious womaniser and according to my online poll conducted last month, the _second_ most popular guy in school: Ryder," began Jacob, turning towards his interviewee who was winking to the camera, "how does it feel to be back at McKinley on the first day of your senior year?"

"Well JBI," Ryder replied, running his hands through his tousled, floppy hair, "I'm looking forward to another year of success on the football team, and er, to seeing all you ladies I've been missing over summer vacation." He raised an eyebrow and bit his lip at the camera, believing he knew exactly how to play it. JBI continued his interrogation.

"What are your plans for after graduation?" Jacob continued.

"I'm looking for a football scholarship, but if not, I'll definitely be outta here regardless, I'm not a Lima loser, I'm big time-"

JBI, deciding that, if the 'jerk' was going to continue bragging, might as well brag about something more 'interesting' than college, interrupted with a juicier question.

"-excellent…and can you confirm or deny the rumours that you and Jake Puckerman bedded Cheerios Kitty, Marissa _and _Celeste and possibly _more_ on separate occasions during the summer break, and that you personally have been romancing a mystery online lover?" Ryder looked down and smirked boastfully.

"Well Jacob, I don't like to talk about my personal life on the camera…" JBI looked pointedly down the camera lens as it zoomed in on him for dramatic effect.

"We'll take that as a YES! And one last question," he said, looking up at the tall football player as the camera zoomed back out, "what do you make of the speculation that you, your sucked up to best friend Puckerman and your cronies are only popular through infamy, because the entire student body aside from the bleach-blonde-bimbo-Barbies on the cheerleading squad thinks you are good-looking, yet interminably obtuse assholes?"

An important thing to understand about Ryder Lynn was that he easily snapped, and he snapped now, shoving the camera and recording equipment away from him and punching the admittedly irritating, yet perhaps correct, resident school blogger square in the face several times, not stopping until Coach Beiste pulled him off and shoved him back onto the field to do laps for the rest of lunch break as punishment.

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Later on, in the last class before the end of the first school day of the year, when his detention was over with, Ryder was sat in English, which he knew would be his favourite again this year, not because he was good at it- he was in fact very poor, as he was with many classes, and counted the days when he managed to scrape C's in it as good ones, but because, as with last year, he got to sit next to Jake, and the two would spend the entire hour every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday this year, just as they had enjoyed every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday last year, enjoying the view which distracted them from whatever Miss Holliday was trying to teach them; that being Miss Holliday herself, a surprisingly 'out-there', exceedingly attractive teacher who always dressed in short skirts and tight tops. Both Ryder and Jake were convinced that she was a 'cougar' and 'up for it' and were both determined to conquer her before graduation (although they both knew deep down that this was all talk and bravado and no action...literally.) Whilst they weren't eyeing up their educator, they were messing around and chatting when they should be paying attention.

"Bro, what the hell happened earlier? I heard you tried to beat the living crap outta Jacob Ben Israel," Jake inquired in a whispered tone, as Miss Holliday droned on about symbolism in MacBeth.

"The freak was annoying me." Ryder offered by way of explanation. "Did he interview you too?"

"Yeah," Jake replied. "I like to give him the time of day- he's my fellow Jake and my fellow Jew!" He 'joked'. The two boys giggled obnoxiously.

"You didn't say that last semester when you threw him in the dumpster every day for a week!" Ryder laughed, making, it had to be said, a valid point.

"Well that was "Throw JBI in the dumpster every day for a week", week…" his best friend laughed, less than eloquently.

"BOYS!" Miss Holliday yelled from the front of the class. "Can we pay attention please instead of disrupting you and your fellow students' learning? You are making a lot of noise back there."

"You'll be making a lot of noise when I…" Jake muttered under his breath. Ryder snickered loudly.

"Excuse me Mr Puckerman?" Miss Holliday enquired, eyebrows raised, knowing that the boy had probably said something rude.

"Nothing, Miss." Jake replied, while Ryder tried and failed to control his laughter.

"Ok, if this is how it's going to be, I think we might need to change some seating arrangements." Miss Holliday said coolly, with a flick of her straight blond hair. The boys were just about to wildly protest the suggestion when there came a brisk knock on the classroom door. Miss Holliday called for its source to come in, and Miss Pillsbury, the school's doe-eyed guidance counsellor opened the door, with someone behind her.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your class Miss Holliday but I have a new student here who I think is meant to be with you right now? I found her in the corridor, she got a bit lost," Miss Pillsbury chuckled. Miss Holliday reopened her class register and scrolled down for any student who might not have been present at the start of the lesson.

"Ah…yes. I have a Marley Rose here who's not marked in for this period?" Miss Pillsbury affirmed that this was the correct student, and left the room, leaving a girl standing timidly in the doorway.

"Welcome Marley, don't worry about being late to class, it's your first day at a new school; you're bound to need a little time to get your bearings. There is a free seat…" she trailed off, scanning the classroom, "…there." She finished, her eyes falling on an empty chair right in front of the two boys' table. Ryder, who had as usual, not been paying attention for the last couple of minutes, looked up to examine the new student and made brief eye contact with one of the most beautiful girls he had ever laid eyes on. Tall and slender, her face was partially hidden by the shadow projected from her grey newsboy cap, but from what he could see, she was exceedingly, naturally gorgeous. She dressed much more conservatively than most the girls he was usually interested in, but for some reason, the hint of mystery that allowed intrigued him even further. Her long brown her fell curled quite a bit below her shoulders. She wasn't fake or cheap like the cheerio girls he would sleep with- she was classy. As she took her seat directly in front of him, he could think of only one word to describe her-

"HOT!" whispered Jake down Ryder's ear, causing him to jump. Ryder turned to his best friend. _Nope, _he thought. _Quarterback here isn't getting first chance at this one._

"I call dibs on her!" He whispered back. Jake looked at him, with an expression of extreme annoyance and disappointment. "Rules are rules…" Ryder murmured, smirking triumphantly, as if the girl was some sort of possession, or object to be won as a prize.

"Fine," replied Jake. "You get the first try. But if you screw things up I am _so _in there." Ryder nodded in agreement and shook his hand to formally seal the arrangement.

"Mr Lynn and Mr Puckerman you are on your last warning, if I hear one more peep from you this lesson I will split you up for the entire year and make you share your little conversation with the rest of the class, would you two like that?" Miss Holliday asked in an exasperated manner. Marley Rose turned around to frown at the two douchebags who were interrupting what had already been a stressful lesson for her, getting lost and being late and all.

"No Miss." The boys answered in unison. Their teacher nodded and got back to Shakespeare, and they fell silent.

For the rest of the lesson, Ryder Lynn did not stare up Miss Holliday like Jake did- he spent the entire time stealing glances at the new girl whenever she slightly turned her head, all the while dreaming up fantasies of the various ways in which he might woo her into bed.

**There is the first chapter, I hope you enjoyed it- I know Ryder is a bit of a misogynistic doucheface at the moment but in all honesty as season 4 went on I think he was turned into more of a 'bad boy!' Besides, who knows, maybe Marley will bring out the soft side we know and love- you'll have to keep reading to find out :p I can't promise how quick the updates will be as I have another story going which I'm very invested in and I'm kind of…moving countries(!) next week! But I will try to update very, very soon, _hopefully _in the next week, as I am excited about this story and have a load of ideas for it :)**

**I would really, really love if you could drop a quick comment below, especially as it's the first chapter- pretty, pretty please?**

**Love Lauren :) xxx **


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey readers :) thank you so much for the lovely response you gave me after the first chapter! I'm glad people are intrigued by the story. Here is chapter 2!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or any of the characters in this story. **

Ryder drove to school the next morning with an extra enthusiasm. He would have been looking forward to today anyway because, after the initial taster session yesterday lunch, today was the first day of the official football try-outs for new recruits to the Titans, which would last for the rest of the week every day after school, and he was looking forward, as a senior and the team's vice captain, to laughing at the hopeless freshmen wannabes make fools of themselves on the field. Yesterday, however, had given him an extra thrill.

He couldn't actually remember her name, as he hadn't been paying attention in Miss Holliday's English class until he had seen her, but he couldn't wait to examine her beautiful face and smoking body again. He had made a vow last night that he would not rest until he had successfully gotten into her pants, and he'd be damned if he screwed things up and had to allow his best friend a shot at the prize.

He pulled into the school's parking lot and into a bay, and reluctantly dragged himself out, knowing that, before the potential fun to be gotten out of this day, his first lesson of the day was Math, and unless _she_ was in the same Math class as him, it would be a chore, to say the least.

Unfortunately for Ryder, she was not in his math class, nor was she in any of his classes up until lunch, but he wasn't panicked. He knew that at the very latest he would see her in English class again tomorrow, and besides, she may be particularly hot, but in the grand scheme of things was no big deal; just another pretty girl he was going to 'do and ditch', nothing major.

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Ryder spent the majority of lunch hour in the cafeteria, loudly boasting to Jake and the other jocks about the things he was going to do to the mysterious, beautiful new girl when he seduced her. With ten minutes to go, they were shooed out by a new lunch-lady, who was somewhat overweight, and glared particularly hard at Ryder, evidently having heard his claims about the 'new girl in 12th grade'.

"Boys, you know the rules, you've been here longer than me. Cafeteria closes ten minutes before the end of lunch break." The jocks guffawed, making lewd comments about her weight whilst dragging themselves out as slowly as they could, taking great delight in being as annoying as possible.

As the boys wandered into the corridor to go to their lockers in preparation for their next lesson, Jake noticed someone out of the corner of his eye. Out of loyalty to his best friend, he tapped Ryder on the shoulder and pointed in the right direction, and Ryder noticed her. He grinned smugly back at him and swaggered over to the girl, who was searching pointedly for something in her locker. He tapped her on the shoulder, and she spun round with a jump.

"Hey, sorry I didn't mean to scare you," he started. "Let me introduce myself, I'm Ryder Lynn, I play on the school football team, I think you're in my English class." He gave her a crooked smile, which she weakly returned.

"Um…nice to meet you. I'm Marley. Marley Rose." She looked down and bit her lip shyly.

"That's a pretty name, Marley," he replied, leaning against the locker and raising his eyebrows. "So you're new, right? How are you liking McKinley?" Marley looked back into her locker, avoiding eye contact. She knew from yesterday's lesson and from the fact that he was a stereotypical jock that he was almost certainly bad news, but she couldn't deny the fact that he was ridiculously good looking. She decided that if she didn't look at him, it wouldn't bother her.

"Um, it's ok thanks. I keep getting lost, but apart from tha-"

"Oh well, I can help you out with that- what class do you have next?" Ryder cut in, sensing an opportunity to impress.

"Spanish, with Mr…Schuester," she replied, checking her timetable to make sure. Ryder was elated at this discovery; that English was not the only class they would share this year.

"Awesome-me too!" He grinned, before putting on his chivalrous act. "Do you wanna walk there together, since we're both headed there and you don't know your way round yet?" Marley smiled genuinely.

"Thanks. That would be very helpful." She felt her spirits lift. Maybe he wasn't such a Neanderthal after all. Just at that moment, the bell rang, signifying five minutes until the start of their Spanish class. At that moment, Ryder noticed the new lunch lady exit the cafeteria door and head out towards the garbage area carrying a large black bag. He sniggered quietly. Marley, who had also been watching, looked at him quizzically.

"What's so funny?" She asked him, suspecting she already knew the answer.

"Oh nothing…That lunch-lady's new too. Someone had better tell her she's not allowed to eat the food she serves…" he laughed nonchalantly. Marley looked instantly hurt.

"Hey, you can't say things like that!" She shouted at him angrily, bursting furiously out of her shell. "That's really mean! You don't know anything about her. You don't know what her life is like."

"Whoa…" Ryder replied, taken aback by the shy girl's outburst. "It was just a joke-"

"Well it wasn't funny!" Marley glared back at him.

"…she's just a lunch-lady-" Ryder attempted poorly to justify, before she interrupted him.

"_She's just_ my mom!" She paused to let it sink in, and Ryder's jaw dropped. "I'll find our Spanish class by myself." She said sadly, slamming her locker shut dramatically and marching away from him. Ryder groaned. He wasan asshole, and he knew it.

"Marley…" he started, watching her turn the corner at the end of the corridor. "Marley!" he began to jog after her, his long athletic legs catching up with her very quickly.

"Leave me alone." She said with a roll of her eyes, when she realised who was hovering behind her.

"Marley I'm sorry. I'm an idiot. At least let me walk you to Spanish class to apologise."

"I'm fine thanks," she spat out sourly.

"Really?" He asked. "Cos you're kinda going the wrong way." She stopped, and turned around, all the while avoiding eye contact with him.

"Trust me Marley, I've been at this school a hell of a lot longer than you. I promise you, Spanish is literally the complete other direction." She sighed. She didn't want to give in to this handsome yet immature boy, but she had been late to enough classes for her liking in her first two days at McKinley.

"Fine," she conceded. "But don't bother talking to me again after." Ryder sighed, offering Marley his arm to hold on to on the way Spanish, which she refused with a look of disgust, so he had to settle for letting her follow him to Mr Schuester's classroom in awkward silence and distance.

As Ryder sat in Spanish, he told himself mentally that, yes he had wasted a chance at getting laid, but that was it, she was nothing special. Jake could have his try now, he accepted that. As Mr Schuester droned on about the conditional tense, he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He smiled as he saw it was an online message from Katie. _See, _Ryder thought. _Leave emotion to this girl, and physicality to some easy cheerio. I don't need Marley Rose. _He opened it, and eagerly read it under the table.

"_Hey babe._ _How's your second day of school going?" _He smiled at her pet name for him, and replied.

"_Boring. Do u realise weve been talkng for a year now? cant we meet to selebrate?" _

He grinned as he pressed send. Katie was very coy, but he hoped he would be able to meet the pretty blonde in person soon. He waited anxiously for a reply. When it still hadn't come after ten minutes, he checked again. She had gone offline. He sighed in frustration and frowned. He really liked Katie, but he hated the way she always let him down. He had been using other girls for sex only rather than a proper relationship because he had been waiting for her, which in his opinion, was a good example of fidelity, but she always avoided the idea of meeting him. It unsettled him to say the least. At times, he even wondered why he put up with it when there were nice girls like Marley around who he could meet every day; not that she was an option any more.

It was only then when he realised that he was staring at her longingly from across the classroom. She turned her head slightly and they made brief eye contact. She looked sadly at him, and something strange happened. He actually felt bad. Partly because he had upset her, but, even weirder, partly because she was upset at all. He tried to shake the thoughts from his mind and concentrate on Spanish, but it was a futile cause. There was something about her. Something that meant he was not going to tell Jake it was his turn, at least not yet, and not while Katie was ignoring him. He would start afresh.

**Oooh cryptic! How do you think Ryder's going to approach Marley now, and how is 'Katie' going to complicate things?**

**Hope you enjoyed chapter 2! Any comments or ratings, good or bad, are appreciated! Updating might take longer from now on as I'm starting the move to France tomorrow(!) and will then be thrown into French university studies, and I dread to think how much of my time it will take up, so I'm sorry if I'm slow with updating either of my stories!**

**Also, please go here (minus the spaces, doesn't like links) and sign this petition against a part of the infamous SOPA being revived, which would make many ridiculous things, including **_**fanfiction, illegal**_**: **** petitions . whitehouse . gov / petition / stop-sopa-2013 / LMzMVrQF**

**Thank you for your follows/favourites after the first chapter and also to these reviewees:**

**Gleeotch13: Yay Ryley, I've missed it! Hope the rest of the story doesn't disappoint!**

**Anon: Thanks! You'll get more, I promise :p**

**Gleeatic713: Thanks, I glad you're intrigued by douchey Ryder :p thanks so much, I hope it goes smoothly!**

**Guest: Aw thanks, hearing that it's well written is probably the highest praise you can give me, so ily :p Hope this was soon enough!**

**Savannaramirez35: I continued! Hope you continue with your Jennoist fic, I'm loving it! **


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello all! I'm so very sorry it took me so long to update. I have had an extremely busy few days, to say the very least! I hope you enjoy chapter 3.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or any of its characters.**

The more Ryder thought about Marley after school, the worse he felt. He was utterly confused- since when did he care about girls? Katie maybe, but he was mad at her right now, and wholly consumed with thoughts of Marley Rose. He didn't want to concern himself with Katie at all at the moment, but he realised that he could use her to his advantage, so logged onto the chat-room, and, seeing that she was now online again, clicked on the conversation, and typed a new message.

**ryder_lynn: **_Help me undastand the female mind. How can I make u not be mad at me? _

Ryder of course, did not feel he had to do anything to appease Katie- if anything, _she_ had to do something to appease _him_, but he would use her female knowledge to formulate a plan to approach Marley tomorrow at school after he had made a fool of himself today.

**katie_xoxo: **_Who says I'm mad at you? x_

Ryder sighed loudly at Katie's reply. For one thing it had absolutely no relevance to Marley, for another, Katie was either oblivious to her wrongdoings, or chose to avoid them completely. He tried a different tactic, and typed in another message.

**ryder_lynn: **_You ignor me every time I sujest we meet. So your mad or your afraid._

The blonde beauty took a good ten minutes to formulate her reply.

**katie_xoxo: **_You know I worry that you'll be the douchebag you portray yourself to be to your friends. Online you can be yourself. What if you can't offline?_

Ryder was infuriated. He thought Katie of all people understood him, but perhaps not.

**ryder_lynn: **_How can you say that? You no I wud jump at the chance to be with u if u just showd me u wanted it too. But it doesnt seem like u really do, and u no what? Maybe some other girl mite be better for me, mite actualy acknolege me in real life._

An image of Marley Rose flickered through his mind as he pressed send. A couple of minutes later, his laptop bleeped.

_**katie_xoxo**__**has gone offline**__. _

Ryder groaned in frustration, picking up a pen from his desk and throwing it against the wall. He had no new ideas for Marley and the situation with Katie had only been aggravated. He picked the pen up and flopped face forward onto his bed. He would have to play it by ear. He knew he had his second English class of the school year tomorrow, which of course, Marley was in, and he also knew now that he wanted the mysterious brunette more than ever.

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Ryder was keen to get to English class extra early the next day to try and forge an opportunity to speak to Marley, so dragged Jake along to Miss Holliday's classroom ten minutes before the end of morning break. Marley was already outside the room, seemingly sticking up a flyer or a poster of some sort onto the noticeboard next to the door. Ryder turned to Jake, put on a smirk, and approached her.

"Hey Marley."

The brunette jumped at his voice, which was becoming a bit of a habit, and turned to glare at him, not saying a word, before turning away and busying herself with her poster. Ryder sighed.

"Look, Marley, I'm really sorry about yesterday. I was an ass…but…it's just because…look, don't tell anyone this, cos it's not 'cool', but…I get really shy around beautiful girls, and my brain just kinda shuts down and I say something stupid." This was of course a little white lie to make him seem sensitive, he believed, but she didn't know that.

Marley bit her lip, and she kept up the silent treatment, but Ryder didn't miss her cheeks turn pink under her newsboy cap upon hearing his compliment. He clenched his fist behind his back in celebration, and vaguely heard Jake snigger in appreciation behind.

"So what's this?" He asked nosily, gesturing towards the poster Marley was still carefully straightening and pinning onto the noticeboard. Marley pointed her nose up and still refused to speak a word, so Ryder leaned in and slowly read what it said.

_Do you need a tutor/singing teacher?_

_Contact Marley Rose on facebook for help in English or singing lessons._

_$10 an hour_

"Hey I need a tutor!" Ryder exclaimed enthusiastically, causing Marley to jump yet again. She turned to him, her eyebrow raised in a sarcastic 'in your dreams' way. "I do!" He assured her. "My grades are super bad, especially in English, and they need to improve if I'm gonna get that football scholarship."

Marley shrugged, as if to say that it wasn't her problem after what he'd said yesterday.

"So are you a super clever great singer then or is it all about the ten bucks an hour?" he joked, determined to persist with the stubborn, shy girl.

"Well you know…" Marley finally spoke, "me and my fat lunch-lady of a mom need all the extra money we can get," she snapped sarcastically and went to stand by the door. The lesson was just about to start, and Miss Holliday came marching over to unlock the classroom and usher the students in. Ryder hoped will all his might that Jake hadn't noticed that part of the exchange. Luckily, when he turned around he found that he was busy flirting with Kitty Wilde.

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Like usual, Ryder and Jake spent the first half of English messing around and paying zero attention, also oblivious to the fact that they were wearing Miss Holliday's patience thin.

"Alright, boys I am done with this. We are not having another year like last year. You are seniors now, you cannot afford to mess around like this if you want to get into college. I'm splitting you two up."

"No!" Ryder and Jake both protested, but their teacher was not having any of it.

"Ok," she started, thinking about what to do with the seating arrangements. "Ryder, swap places with Sarah please, sorry girls but I think Mr Puckerman and Mr Lynn could do with your calming, sensible influence," she said sympathetically to Sarah and her desk partner. Ryder groaned, before realising who Sarah sat next to. He turned to grin at Jake before picking up his things and taking the now vacant seat next to Marley, who rolled her eyes towards the sky.

He spent the rest of the lesson stealing glances at the beautiful girl to his right. A couple of times they made eye contact as she turned to look at him too. She would never tell him, but she had a huge crush on him…if only he wasn't such an idiot.

Miss Holliday finished the lesson by springing a rather unwelcome surprise on her students.

"Ok guys, that's two lessons we've done on Macbeth now, so on Friday…we will have a test on it!" she said emphatically, as if it was cause for celebration. "And yes, it does count a very small percentage towards your final grade, so your homework is to study hard for it over the next couple of days."

The students groaned in unison, and Ryder felt his stomach lurch. English just wasn't his forte, he hadn't been lying when he told Marley he needed tutoring in it, and if this was going to count towards his final grade, he needed to do well in it, even he knew that deep down. He would have to work really hard for the rest of the week.

**Hope you enjoyed it! I would really love a review from you, it would make my day! Thanks! Also, keep signing against SOPA if you haven't done so already!**

**To my lovely reviewers:**

**Savannaramirez35: I know, it's strange, but it's terribly fun to write :p thank you so much, I hope I do! It's all rather daunting right now but I'm sure it will get easier as my French improves :p thanks again for your lovely review, and I'm still loving your fic :)**

**Rima Akien: I know- we always need more Ryley! Ah, you will see both those things develop, but I'm not giving you any more spoilers, lol. Thanks so much for your kind review!**

**TeaAndGlee: Glad you're liking it so far! Thanks so much- I'm sure I will miss our beloved UK, but I'll be fine I'm sure :p**

**Guest: Thank you! Relived you like the idea and bad boy Ryder, I will certainly continue with it :) You will see soon!**

**Thanks also to those who favourited or followed :)**

**I will try to be quicker with the next update but with my other story due for an update and classes starting this week (in French!) I honestly can't promise anything :s**

**Loads of love from Lauren xxx **


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys, I have managed to fit in writing another chapter before my classes start, so here it is now :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee or the characters in this story.**

Ryder slammed his head against the desk. It just wasn't going in. It didn't help that Marley still hadn't accepted his friend request on Facebook, or that Katie was still being unhelpful and standoffish, but regardless, he just didn't understand the actual work. He couldn't grasp what the symbolism or hidden meanings were, and he sure as hell couldn't read Shakespearean English- he had enough problems with reading and writing in _modern_ English, let alone ye olde stuff. He hadn't noticed it before, as he had never really tried, but now that it was senior year, and he had to be averaging a high grade to even stand a chance of a football scholarship, he had to really pay attention. He typed out his revision notes. There were red squiggly lines under more than half the words indicating a spelling mistake, but when he looked at them, he couldn't see which letters he'd gotten wrong; they looked correct to him. He slumped back in his desk chair.

"That settles it," he sighed to himself out loud, despite being the only one in his bedroom. "I'm stupid."

"What was that honey?" Ryder's mom asked, as she came into the room to deliver a pile of freshly ironed clothes. Ryder sighed. At least he could talk to his Mom about his academic failings. His Dad had a PhD, and every single grade his son brought home was a disappointment, regardless of the reason (which, in his defence, _was_ usually due to Ryder's messing around in class and lack of work ethic). Sadly his mother was more of a trophy wife (although their marriage was a strong one) for his influential, successful Dad, rather than an Einstein herself, and couldn't help Ryder with school stuff in the way that Mr Lynn _could_, but was too busy to.

"Miss Holliday's set us a test on this Shakespeare play we're doing in English, it counts for the final grade too. I can't do it, it won't go in, I can't even read it. It doesn't help that she only gave us two nights to revise, how am I supposed to do this tomorrow-"

"Shhh." She comforted, rubbing his shoulder with her spare hand. Even though her 'baby boy' was pretty much grown up and approaching his 18th birthday, she was still as maternal as ever, and somewhat blind to her son's less…agreeable side. "Just keep at it honey. You'll get it soon enough." She placed Ryder's cleaned clothes in the correct drawers and left the room. He sighed. His mom was sweet and meant well, but he knew all too well that he probably would not 'get it soon enough', and certainly wouldn't before tomorrow.

Ryder was snapped out of his self-pitying trance by a jingle from his computer. He scrambled quickly to see if it was a notification of a certain Marley Rose accepting his friend request, but it was just Katie saying 'Hey babe xx' on the chat room. He shut the laptop. He didn't have time for another long conversation with her, which he knew would inevitably turn into an argument about meeting or not meeting, not when he had to study. He promised himself that only Marley could divert his attention. Sadly for him, she did not divert his attention all night.

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Most kids hated the boring pre-test reading out of the rules that Miss Holliday was currently doing, but it gave Ryder a prime opportunity to gaze at Marley, whom he was very much enjoying having as his English desk partner, before he had to concentrate on a test he was destined to fail. He stole glances at her perfect blue eyes before noticing the tiniest scar on her lower forehead. He had never seen it before because she usually was wearing a newsboy cap which covered it, but today she wasn't, allowing him to cast his eyes on the glory of her full face for the first time. He squinted his eyes to focus on the blemish further, before she realised something was up.

"Quit staring at it!" She snapped, just about keeping her voice at whispering level whilst Miss Holliday droned on.

"At what? Your pretty face?" Ryder asked, feigning innocence, slightly worried he'd made her feel insecure when it looked fine.

"You know what. I saw you looking at it. Now stop." Marley tried to cover her forehead with her hand.

"It's fine. You can only notice it if you really look. It's cool! Makes you look sorta badass. How did you get it?" Marley flinched ever so slightly at the question, as Miss Holliday told the class to turn over their papers and begin the test.

"None of your business." she whispered.

"I was just asking…so…did anyone take up your tutoring or singing coaching offer?"

"No, now concentrate on your test!"

"It's too difficult, I-"

"That's not my problem, you should have worked harder." Marley shifted her body weight away from Ryder, and began reading the Macbeth extract on the paper, not knowing that she had accidentally hit a nerve within the boy, who sighed, knowing that he _had_ worked non-stop for the past two days. He had no choice but to begin the paper. He turned it over and tried to read the jumble of letters in front of him.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The following Monday, after a weekend spent waiting for a certain notification that never came, Ryder was once again sat beside Marley in English, and the pair, alongside the rest of their class, were nervously waiting for Miss Holliday to hand out their test results. The teacher filed down the rows of desks, giving each student their papers back. After what seemed like an age, she arrived at their table.

"Good work Marley, I'm impressed, especially as this is your first assignment at a new school." She handed Marley her test back, and the brunette gave a small, bashful smile when she looked at her result. Ryder looked over her shoulder, to see a large 'A' in green pen on the top of Marley's paper, before realising that it was his turn next. He looked up at Miss Holliday.

"Not so impressive, Ryder." She handed him his paper back, which was covered in hundreds of red marks, crowned by a large 'C-' on the top. She lent down and lowered her voice. "Ryder, this is your senior year, you really need to take your school work more seriously if you want to get to where you want to be. You know deep down that you didn't revise hard enough for this, don't you." She stood up and left, continuing on to Jake's desk behind.

"I did revise, Miss, I…" it was too late. Miss Holliday wasn't listening. He noticed out of his peripheral vision that Marley was examining his result. He turned it over, embarrassed.

"It's only worth like, 1% of the grade, you know." She said, surprisingly sympathetic to his plight. He smiled sadly.

"What about the next 1%? And the next? Then soon enough, I'll be averaging a D, and it'll be bye-bye college, hello Lima loser."

Marley looked down, feeling bad.

"You actually worked hard for this, didn't you…" she said, realising she might have been too hard on him before. He nodded sincerely.

"You know…" he started, smiling more. "…I could really use a tutor…" he finished, raising his eyebrows and grinning towards Marley. She shut her eyes, grimacing at the realisation of his now very sincere proposal, trying her hardest to resist his puppy dog eyes…

"Ok fine!" She conceded, with a large sigh. "But don't think you're not paying the $10 an hour."

"Of course I will, I'm not a charity case. Thanks Marley, you're awesome." He gave Marley a double thumbs up, and she rolled her eyes and picked up her paper, pretending to read Miss Holliday's comments, all the while wondering if she had just made a huge mistake or a great decision.

**Hope you enjoyed- I know it was a bit of a filler chapter, but hey- Marley is going to tutor Ryder! What do you think about that? Please comment on what you thought, and I would love to know your theories on what may come next :)**

**To my lovely reviewers:**

**Rima Akien: Sorry! Here is another quick chapter so hopefully that makes up for it! Hmm. You'll find out soon, but you may have already guessed from this chapter!**

**Savannaramirez35: Aw, that's so sweet of you to say :') I updated soon, haha**

**Gleeatic713: Oh, you are too cute. Thanks! I hope you continue to enjoy it :)**

**Until next time (which I hope will be soonish)**

**Lauren xxx**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks for your lovely feedback after the last chapter- I managed to get some time over the weekend to write the next chapter relatively quickly, so here it is!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee or any of its characters.**

Ryder tapped his pen excitedly on his desk, waiting impatiently for the clock to strike half three, and for his Math lesson –and school day- to finally be over. His mind skimmed over the arrangement; Marley had finally accepted his friend request after school on Monday, and on there they had discussed the tutoring organization. He had suggested coming over to her place after school, but she had vehemently rejected the idea. When he inquired as to why, he was surprised to learn that she lived in Lima Heights Adjacent. He didn't ask why, but guessed that it must be something to do with a lack of money, after all, her Mom was a lunch lady and he didn't know what her Dad did, and she had hinted that they really needed the extra income she would earn if she tutored…he could certainly see no other reason for an educated, innocent girl to be living there. So it was that the two agreed that Marley would go home with Ryder to his house after school on Tuesday –today- and that her Mom would come by to pick her up later on.

After what seemed like an age, the bell finally rang. Ryder stood up excitedly and smirked in Jake's direction, playfully indicating to his slightly jealous best friend that he was about to get one step closer to sleeping with Marley. He sauntered out of the school building and over to his car, an obnoxiously large black 4x4 which proudly demonstrated both his confidence and popularity, and of course, his Father's importance and wealth. Leaning gently against his 'baby', as he called it, he scanned the crowd for Marley. After a couple of minutes he saw her, dressed classily in a denim dress and red cardigan, cradling her books as if they were a baby, looking every bit as beautiful as she did studious. Her eyes caught his, and she made her way over to where Ryder was standing.

"Hey Marley. Looking forward to my study session?" he asked smugly, earning an eye roll.

"So much…" she said sarcastically, although secretly she genuinely was. He chivalrously opened the passenger seat door and she climbed in. As he walked round the car to the driver's seat, she examined the surroundings. It was cleaner than she had expected, owing to Ryder's immense love and care towards it (indeed, the car was offered more respect by Ryder than any girl he had ever been with.) She noticed a pack of open condoms in the door's storage space, and raised her eyebrows, crossing her legs and feeling slightly uncomfortable.

_So he definitely is one of those guys, _she thought.

Ryder started the engine and pulled out of the parking lot. The pair made awkward small talk on the short drive to his large house. Marley had heard that Ryder's father was one of the most renowned doctors in the Lima area, but she hadn't been expecting such a grandiose place. Ryder held both the car door and front door open for her and she stepped timidly into the house. Just as Ryder went to close the door behind them, a tall important looking man in a suit, presumably Mr Lynn, came running down the stairs in a rush, asking Ryder to keep the door open for him. He stopped when he saw Marley, and raised an eyebrow.

"New girlfriend, son?" He asked. Marley looked down and blushed scarlet red. Ryder cringed.

"No Dad!" He said through gritted teeth. "This is Marley. She's going to tutor me."

"Oh, a 'tutor'!" Mr Lynn said with a mockingly impressed tone. "Glad to see you're finally taking some responsibility for your 'poor grades'." He said sarcastically, but patting Ryder on the back by way of affection. Marley thought the tone Ryder's father used was to suggest that Ryder didn't work hard enough at school. Ryder knew that in reality, his Dad's sarcasm had also been directed at the fact that he probably knew his son better than his wife did, and was not oblivious to Ryder's womanising ways, believing –correctly- that Ryder probably had questionable intentions for his new tutor.

"Are you off to work again, Dad?" Ryder asked, as his father hastily put on his jacket.

"No, I'm doing a guest lecture for the school of medicine at Lima University…I have to go now or I'll be late. You kids study hard, and make good choices!" With that, he left and closed the door behind him, leaving Ryder cringing behind, mentally cursing his father for damaging his game in front of the prettiest girl in school. He looked at Marley, who stared back at him, half bemused, half concerned about the implications of Mr Lynn's statement.

"…'make good choices?' " she asked timidly. Ryder sighed.

"Just…ignore him. He's a total loser, I don't know how he managed to have such a cool son…" Marley snorted. He really thought he was something…

"You know, when you _know_ that you're cool, it automatically makes you _less_ cool…" she suggested, putting her hands on her hips and throwing a smirk and a pout at him with a surprising level of confidence.

"Whatever, nerd…" he joked, playfully poking her in the side before remembering how uptight she was about his jokes, and worrying he might have offended her. Luckily, she giggled along with him, and followed him to the dining room, where he gestured to her to sit down at the table.

"So," she started. "I know you might not want to but it might help if you gave me your test to read through, just as a reference so I can see your strong and weak points with essay questions. Do you still have it?" Marley asked brightly, failing to hide her enthusiasm.

"Uh…I think so," replied Ryder unsurely, reaching into his back pack. "I think I just left it in here…" after rather a long while of rummaging, Ryder retrieved a crumpled up piece of paper. "Here!" he said triumphantly, handing it to Marley. She raised an eyebrow at the state of it, but said nothing and, after taking it from him and attempting to ignore the electrifying moment they shared when their hands made brief contact, brushing against each other, unfolded it and began to read. Ryder watched nervously, feeling embarrassed, as she for five minutes frowned, nodded and hummed to herself.

"I know it's awful…" he offered after a while, when the silence had become too uncomfortable for him to bear.

"No," she replied. "It's not awful. Some of the ideas about the themes and meanings and stuff are good, you just need to develop them a lot more, but we can work on that…" She said with a smile.

"I'm surprised you can even read what my ideas are through all the spelling corrections," he mumbled dejectedly, laying back in his chair and running his hands through his hair out of impulse.

"Yeah…" answered Marley. "The spelling is what I was coming to…" she trailed off, and made a face as if she was trying to think of a way a saying something sensitive nicely, which she was. "Ok this might sound…ugh, I don't know, but…have you ever been like, tested?"

"Tested?!" He asked, offended. "What, like a freaking crazy person?!"

"No!" she replied, laughing slightly. "I don't mean like that…" Ryder looked at her in a way that challenged her to explain further, so she did. "Ok, so your spelling and the way you write reminds me of my cousin who used to write me letters when we were younger. She made a lot of errors, but then she got tested, and they found out she was dyslexic."

"Dyslexic. You think I'm dyslexic? Man. I knew I was stupid…I didn't think I was _that _stupid…you heard my Dad, he's a freaking PhD. How would he feel about having an _idiot _for a son?" he continued, becoming more and more upset.

"But that's just it Ryder, it doesn't make you an idiot, there's just an unfair stigma surrounding it. It just would mean- if you were, I'm not an expert, that you learn a little differently than other people." Marley explained soothingly, her blue eyes piercing into Ryder's gaze as she smiled comfortingly at him.

"Fine. Then there's still a stigma, Marley. I think I'd rather not know and not get made fun of. I can't be popular _and _dyslexic." He said pointedly.

"It's worth it Ryder. When my cousin was diagnosed she got loads of help…extra lessons, extra funding for school stuff…and…well I'm not in touch with her anymore but last I heard she got into a really good college. It doesn't mean you're stupid Ryder, you're not." Ryder looked less distraught, but still concerned, so she continued. "If you're really worried about what people will say, Ryder, just don't tell them, they're not going to find out any other way." Her efforts were rewarded with a small smile from him.

"So…" he started unsurely, "being officially dyslexic wouldn't ruin my chances of getting into college? I can still challenge for my football scholarship?" Marley nodded eagerly, taken aback by Ryder's apparently big ambition.

"Sure! You're going for a football scholarship? That's so cool!" she exclaimed, her voice giving away how impressed she was. "Where at?" she inquired.

"Anywhere…" was the answer. "Anywhere except Lima…" Marley smiled, understanding his reasoning. She'd only been living in Lima for just over a month and already couldn't wait to leave.

"So how about you?" Ryder asked, sensing the opportunity to get to know Marley better. "What are you planning on doing after graduation?" Marley looked down at his question, and bit her lip.

"Oh…it's kind of embarrassing…" she said, her voice almost a whisper.

"Come on, I won't laugh!" he looked at her genuinely.

"Ok…ever since I was a little girl I wanted to be a singer. I know I sound like I'm about to audition for Simon Cowell but…it's true. So, I'm looking into applying for NYADA…the New York Academy of Dramatic Arts." She finished, her cheeks turning noticeably pink as she shuffled in her seat. Ryder broke into a wide smile.

"Marley, that's not embarrassing, that's awesome!" She looked up and smiled gratefully at his statement, before he continued. "But, that's gotta be really hard to get into, right?"

"Yes." She stated emphatically, suggesting that she had already been worrying about that herself. "I'll have to audition in front of the dean, Carmen Tibideaux herself- she's a musical theatre legend-" she added, upon seeing Ryder's puzzled expression, "and then I'll need a super application, I need loads of extra curriculars. So…that's one of the reasons I'm doing this-" she said, gesturing towards Ryder's test, indicating the tutoring, "and, I'm thinking of joining the Glee Club, auditions are next Wednesday-" she was interrupted by Ryder snorting loudly in response.

"Sorry," he said, laughing. "It's just, Glee club is social suicide. Glee clubbers are like the lowest of the low. Principal Figgins gets more respect than them, and that's saying something!" He stopped immediately when he saw Marley's exasperated expression, so tried to explain himself. "Look I don't deny that it would be great for your college application, especially if you want to do music, but…as long as you're aware that you will not be popular if you join-"

"-You wanna know what I think about you, Ryder?" Marley asked. The boy nodded, despite the interruption. "I think you care way too much about being popular, and what other people think." Ryder shrugged.

"We're all into different things," he offered. "For example…I'm into being popular…you're into being a singing dancing nerd -OW!" He yelled, as Marley playfully swatted him with her rather large textbook. They both fell into heaps of giggles, interrupted only by the doorbell ringing. Ryder excused himself to go to open it, and Marley realised how much fun she and Ryder were having, how relaxed and natural it felt after all her concern.

Meanwhile, Ryder opened the front door to find the new lunch lady stood there.

"Oh…Hi Mrs Rose. Is it that time already?" Millie nodded sternly, frowning at the boy she had heard in the cafeteria making lewd comments about her precious daughter. She hadn't really been happy when Marley had told her that she was going to be tutoring Ryder Lynn, but gave in because it made her proud seeing Marley making her own money and helping people.

Ryder went back into the dining room.

"Marley, your Mom's here. I guess we lost track of time, huh?"

"Oh gosh," she replied, and looked at her watch. "It's 5 o'clock already!" Ryder smiled back at her, the reached into his wallet, pulling out a 10 dollar bill, and holding it out in front of her.

"Oh, no Ryder. I can't. We hardly did _any _studying, I didn't earn it-"

"No, I insist." He replied firmly but kindly. "Besides, it was fun!" he grinned. Marley finally relented and gratefully accepted the money.

"So…shall we schedule our next session?" Ryder asked, as he escorted Marley to the front door, where Millie was still waiting.

"Yes, and this time we'll actually do some work!" she laughed.

"Okay…so, how about same time next week?" He inquired.

"Oh…this time next week I'll be prepping for my Glee Club audition –DON'T LAUGH!" She shouted before he could make a joke, and they both giggled. Millie stood awkwardly just inches away, uncomfortably watching her daughter seemingly flirting with the unpleasant jock.

"Ok…how about this week again, say…Thursday?" Marley nodded enthusiastically and they confirmed with her Mother, who reluctantly agreed.

"Come on hun, let's go." Millie suggested, anxious to get Marley away from the football player as soon as possible.

"Ok Mom. Bye Ryder!" she said cheerfully, half skipping out the front door. Ryder was just about to close it when she turned around. "Oh, and don't forget to look into getting tested…please. For me." She said, putting on an exaggerated but adorable puppy dog eyed face.

"For you Marley, anything." Ryder conceded playfully, earning a wide grin from the brunette, who promptly skipped off to her Mother's car. He closed the door, still smiling, and considered that he really meant it. He punched the air in celebration of his successful tutoring session, and realised that he was already impatient for the next one.

**Hope you enjoyed some faint beginnings of Ryley cuteness! What do you think the future has in store for Ryder and Marley? Please let me know, or let me know what you thought of this chapter specifically- every review means the absolute world to me :')**

**That said, I would like to again thank my lovely reviewers from the last chapter:**

**Gleeotch13: Glad you enjoyed the last chapter and I hope you enjoyed the cuteness in this- I know you like Ryley cuteness :)**

**TeaAndGlee: So pleased you liked it- and thank you so much, I had my first one today, it went ok!**

**Savannaramirez35: That's interesting, I've never seen A Walk to Remember so it's merely coincidental! France is keeping me very busy indeed but I did update, haha :)**

**Ryleyjennoist: I updated! It makes me so happy that you're loving the fic, thank you!**

**Guest: Yes they did and yes they will do! Hope you enjoyed!**

**Thanks also for the follows/favourites.**

**Until next time, love,**

**Lauren xxx**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys, thanks for the lovely feedback after the last chapter- hope you enjoy this one just as much :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or any of the characters in this story.**

Ryder had seen off Marley with a smile following their second tutoring session, which was equally successful to the first, albeit with more work, but they had chatted away like old friends, and Marley had been delighted to discover that he had gone to Miss Pillsbury and booked his dyslexia test for Wednesday after school, which was coincidentally, the same time Marley was auditioning for Glee Club. He had noted the obvious displeasure of her Mother when she had come to pick Marley up, whom he was obviously going to have to get on his side if he was going to make Marley anything more than his friend, (he suspected that she had heard him talking about Marley in a lewd way in the cafeteria- before he had realised how she so was much more than just a hot girl.)

Now that the session was over, Ryder was online, browsing for colleges with football scholarships, when the familiar chat-room noise went off. He realised that he had forgotten all about Katie recently, but reluctantly clicked on the notification to see what she had to say.

**katie_xoxo: **_Hey babe…you haven't been talking much recently…_

Ryder sighed, and obligingly typed in a reply.

**ryder_lynn:**___Ive been bisy with football praktice and tutoring_

**katie_xoxo: **_You've got a tutor? Like, a professional one?_

**ryder_lynn: **_No jst a new girl at my scool_

**katie_xoxo: **_A new 'girl'? Just a tutor I hope?!_

**ryder_lynn: **_Atm yes. But u cant expekt me to be in limbo forever…I like her and I admit to that_

Ryder crossed his fingers and waited for a reply. He didn't want to hurt Katie's feelings, but he had to give some thought to his own feelings, too.

**katie_xoxo: **_what, so you're thinking of cheating on me?_

Ryder's chin dropped, and he began to type angrily.

**ryder_lynn:**_ no im relly not bcos thanks to u were not togther! Like I sed before, u cant expekt me to sit around if u NEVER agree to meet me! _

He thought about saying something ruder to her, but instead decided to just log off in the same way she usually did whenever she didn't feel like answering a simple question. He sighed. Every day he was getting less into Katie and more into Marley, that was certain.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

On Wednesday after the final bell rang, Ryder went nervously to wait outside the room he would do his test in. He tapped his feet compulsively and went into an anxious trance, until he was snapped out of it by a recognisable voice. He looked up to see Marley standing before him, looking equally nervous, clutching tightly on a piece of sheet music.

"Hey. Are waiting for your test?" She asked, with a small smile.

"Yeah. I'm freaking out." He replied, looking down.

"Well don't. It's not about doing well, it's about doing your normal. If they know your true level they can help you more." She said, reassuringly.

"Thanks." He said sincerely, with a warm smile. "You waiting for your audition?"

"Yes," she sighed. "I'm one of the last ones on. I could be here for a while…I wish I was first, the waiting's making me more nervous!"

"You'll be fine Marley. In fact, you'll be awesome! Don't panic." He said.

"New York State of Mind…you probably don't know it."

"I do, it's like my parent's song, they're always playing it around the house." Just as Marley smiled back at him, the classroom door opened, and a woman called Ryder's name.

"That's me," he said, beginning to follow her into the room, before turning towards Marley.

"Good luck!" He whispered, giving her a double thumbs up. She grinned.

"Thanks, you too!" she replied, and Ryder walked into the classroom.

"Take a seat, Mr Lynn." The woman said pointedly, and he did as he was told. She came over and placed a sheet of paper with a load of questions on his desk.

"You have an hour to do the test, but if you finish before then, let me know. If you don't know an answer, don't put anything." She said, before sitting at the front of the class at the teacher's desk. She looked at the clock. "Your time starts now."

Ryder looked down at the questions, and gulped. It was a jumble of letters and words. He took a deep breath and began.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

About 40 minutes later, Ryder finished his test, and was allowed to leave the room, after learning that he would find out the results in the morning. He wondered if Marley had auditioned yet. He'd been able to faintly hear some of the hopefuls singing during his test, and he didn't think he'd heard that familiar song. So, with this in mind, he made his way into the auditorium. As he opened the door, he noticed that Marley was just taking the stage, so he took a seat right at the back so as not to be spotted by the weirdo misfits of the club, and watched in awe as she rang her hands through her long dark hair, and nervously spoke into the microphone.

"Hi, I'm Marley Rose, I'm gonna be singing New York State of Mind."

"Come on Marley," he whispered under his breath, crossing his fingers. The music started.

And then she began to sing.

Ryder's eyes widened as he sat dumbstruck at her voice. It was the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard, and her confidence…it was as if she had a different personality on stage. If anyone was gonna make it in New York, she was. He was moved. Actually moved.

Apparently, the rest of the auditorium was too, because, when she killed the strong final note and the song ended, the Glee clubbers broke out into rapturous applause. She looked at her feet shyly, before their Spanish teacher and Glee Club leader Mr Schuester began to speak.

"Marley Rose, that was incredible! Auditions start Monday after school, I expect to see you there!" He said emphatically, clearly excited about having unearthed this raw talent. Marley put her hands over her mouth in delighted shock, and squealed adorably before practically skipping off the stage. Ryder grinned, quietly clenching his fist, and made his way out into the corridor to his locker, wanting to meet Marley there. Unfortunately, it would seem she had decided to stay to watch the rest of the auditions, so he got out his stuff before driving home.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next morning, Ryder drove to school extra early, hoping to get his result before many people were there, not wanting to be seen. He went to Miss Pillsbury's and, luckily found her sat there organising some weirdly titled flyers, despite the early time.

"Oh, hello Ryder." Miss Pillsbury said brightly. "Take a seat, you're here early!"

"Um…yeah." Ryder mumbled, taking off his backpack and sitting down.

"So, I got your result from Mrs Dent, the woman from special ed services who was with you for your test yesterday and, you did the right thing in taking the test. She's diagnosed you as dyslexic." Ryder felt slightly nauseous, as he took the news in.

"So what now?" He asked glumly.

"Now, we have secured some funding to provide you with extra help with your reading and writing, you'll do those sessions with Mrs Dent-"

"What about football?" he asked worriedly.

"The timings are flexible Ryder, it doesn't have to impact on your football practice. You'll have a letter sent home sometime this week with more information, ok? That's all for now. Have a nice day." She said with a smile. Ryder nodded, and left the office. He walked down the corridor towards his homeroom, but stopped when he saw a certain beautiful brunette putting something in her locker.

"Hey you," He said, playfully poking her in the sides. She turned around with a jump.

"Ryder, you scared me!" She said, smiling.

"Sorry, _Glee clubber…" _he said, nudging her with a smile. She grinned.

"How do you know about that?" she asked. Ryder shrugged and looked around, feigning innocence, before looking down at her.

"I watched your audition. I finished my test and poked my head around the auditorium door, and guess who was just about to start singing…" She gasped.

"Oh my gosh! You watched me sing? That is so embarrassing…" Her cheeks turned pink.

"Nuh-uh! You were amazing!" He said, gesturing wildly for effect.

Just then the two were interrupted.

"Hi, is it Marley?" Marley turned to look at who was talking to her, nodding. "Oh hi, I'm Unique Adams. I just wanted to say welcome to the Glee club! You were awesome yesterday."

"Oh, thanks!" Marley giggled, shyly. Ryder shifted his feet, awkwardly looking around to check that no one could see, wishing that the unwanted arrival would go away quickly.

"So I guess I'll see you around" Unique said cheerily to Marley, before turning to stare at Ryder for several seconds. Ryder looked back with a 'what-the-hell-are-you-looking-at' kind of expression, before finally Unique walked off, somewhat sadly. Ryder grimaced uncomfortably.

"What's wrong?" Marley asked, having witnessed Ryder's displeasure. "Don't you like her?"

"Marley…'her' is actually a 'him'…she's…she's…" he tried to think of how to word it. Marley beat him to it.

"Trans?" She asked. Ryder nodded. "Is that a problem?" she asked coolly.

"No…" Ryder started. "I mean- I don't understand it personally, but, no. I just don't like the way he- I mean, she stares at me that's all. It's creepy."

"She probably has a crush on you…" Marley giggled, before turning pink, wondering if she'd made it obvious that _she _had a crush on him, too.

"Yeah…but…whatever," he sighed, reaching into his backpack. "This is for you." He said, handing her a small slip of paper. "For being an awesome tutor, and pushing me into getting tested…which was necessary, because it turns out I _am _dyslexic…"

"Oh! Well…I'm proud of you Ryder. I know it was a difficult thing to do…and now you can get the proper help you need. You didn't have to get me a present though, what is it?" she asked, looking down and examining the gift.

"It's tickets to watch me at the Titans' first football game of the season. Tomorrow night. Grudge match against Carmel High." Ryder explained. Marley grinned.

"Thanks! That's so sweet! I mean I don't know much about sports, but-"

"Oh, that's ok, you can just enjoy the view," Ryder smirked. Marley looked confused.

"The view?"

"Me in tight football uniform," he said, grinning, before Marley playfully swatted him with her arm.

"You are so in love with yourself!" She giggled, secretly realising that it would be a very lovely view indeed. "Well…" she added, looking down and gesturing towards the ticket, "Thanks. I look forward to it."

"Of course you do," Ryder laughed, before being swatted again.

"I meant the game, not 'the view'!" She giggled, blushing. They laughed, before saying goodbye and going to homeroom with a spring in their step.

**Hooray! Please let me know what you thought! **

**To my reviewers after the last chapter:**

**TeaAndGlee: Oh, I'm so pleased you like the idea, thanks! Haha, rainy in England, what a surprise- I'm glad to have left the British weather I must say! Here is your update! Hope you enjoyed!**

**Gleeotch13: Aw, glad you thought it was cute, that was what I was hoping for! Well stand by, there may be **_**even **_**more fluffy goodness soon…**

**Gleeatic713: Oh thanks, you flatter me too much! Yes, he's a cutie really haha. Thaaanks :)**

**Savannaramirez35: Well I might just do that, haha…I updated soon :p**

**Yourfictionalmind: Aw, hooray, that's lovely to hear! Glad you like the concept- here is the update, haha**

**Thanks also to favouriters/followers.**

**I will try and update soon as I am loving writing this story and have billions of ideas for it :) (I do however, have to research this funny game which I know nothing about called American football before I can update, as I am British, haha) but until then, lots of love,**

**Lauren xxx**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello! Sorry it took me a tiny bit longer to update than I would have liked, I was busy with my other fic and classes! Also, I apologise profusely to any fans of 'American football' who may reads this chapter. I researched and researched, and it's just so confusing, so I opted to tell that part of the chapter from Marley's pov and have her have no knowledge of the game whatsoever, haha. Please let me know what you thought! Also, get ready for a 'development' :p**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee!**

Ryder stared intensely into the locker room mirror, psyching himself up for the big game, which was due to start in ten minutes. He was fully kitted out in his red McKinley Titan's uniform and protective padding, which was especially required tonight, as the McKinley High-Carmel High rivalry was infamous throughout followers as brutal and bitter- players took no prisoners during such encounters and purposefully caused injuries were common. It also meant that victory was as important and imperative as ever- but it would be tough, as Carmel were the current reigning state champions, and hadn't lost to McKinley in three years. Added to the fact that, if he was going to stand a chance at getting a football scholarship, every performance from now until the end of season had to be fantastic, Ryder was the most nervous he'd ever been before a game.

Ryder knew, however, that he would have a hopefully lucky charm sat on the bleachers tonight, or at least, an extra reason to impress. He knew that something very strange was happening; the more he tried to convince himself that he only wanted to get in her pants, the more obvious it became that he wanted more than that. The strangest thing at all was that he didn't mind it. Marley Rose was girlfriend material, it was as simple as that, and he'd met her in real life, which was more than could be said for Katie.

"Come on bro, it's time to go out onto the field. Stop checking yourself out in the mirror, just 'cause _she's _there…" Jacob sighed to his best friend, a hint of jealousy in his tone. Ryder smirked. He was thoroughly enjoying having gotten dibs on a girl for once- as quarterback, it was almost an unspoken rule that Jake generally got first choice. He obediently followed Jacob and the rest of the team, and they made their way to the edge of the field, lining up alongside the Carmel High players.

Marley watched high up on the bleachers next to her mother, both slightly bemused by the rowdy fans surrounding them. Marley knew next to nothing about the sport, but she was relishing the idea of watching Ryder doing something he loved, and yes, although she would never admit it to him, the 'view' he had described yesterday- that being him rolling around in the tight uniform- was also a factor to her excitement. The crowd suddenly got louder, snapping Marley out of her Ryder based daydream. She looked down to see the players running onto the field. She watched Ryder looking up towards the crowd, and jumped up and down, clapping enthusiastically to catch his attention. It worked, because despite the distance, their eyes met, and he gave her a flirtatious wink, causing her to blush scarlet red. She was grateful that it was dark and she was a wallflower, and no-one, expect for perhaps her eagle-eyed, now frowning Mom, noticed.

Once the players had finished their pre-game huddles, they got into position. The referee blew the whistle, and a huge roar erupted around Marley. The game had begun.

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There was less than a minute on the clock, and the scores were even. The tension in the crowd was unbearable, as it had been a brutal, close encounter- Marley's throat was sore from screaming so much. With seconds remaining, the Titans were on the attack.

It all happened in a bit of a blur. Lipoff, the player with the ball, was crashed into by a Carmel player.

"FOUL!" Screamed the crowd, and the whistle blew. Marley had no idea what was going on, but assumed, once she saw Ryder picking up the ball and playing it carefully, aiming for between the posts, that with only time for this one kick left, McKinley had the chance for victory…and it was all resting on Ryder's broad shoulders.

The bleachers went deathly quiet for the first time all evening. Marley put her hands together against her lips, as if saying a prayer.

"Come on, Ryder," she whispered. Ryder took his run up, and kicked the ball.

The crowd exploded back into life as the ball sailed through the posts, with the McKinley fans beginning a long, wild celebration. Marley cheered and wooped, and joined in as the crowd began chanting Ryder's name.

…Until she became flooded with jealousy, as she watched him become mobbed by scantily clad, attractive cheerleaders. She tried not to let it get to her; he was the hero of the night, and it was their job to support the team, but she couldn't help it.

"Mom, I'm just gonna…go get some air," she said sheepishly. Millie looked at her daughter with a confused expression.

"Marley, we're outside…" she started, but her daughter was already making her way quickly down the bleachers. She figured she would go wait outside the locker room and try to intercept Ryder to congratulate him. She knew it was stupid, and a girl like her could never be with a guy like him, but, she could dream, right? So she traipsed through the eerily dark corridors of the school but, on the way to the locker room, was distracted by voices coming from the girls bathroom. Voices which appeared to be talking about Ryder.

"…ok, so he's tall, hot, single _and_ now the hero of the football team? He could not get any better…" A girl swooned. Marley hid behind the wall, but silently nodded her head in agreement at the statement.

"Jenny, I've told you before. Ryder Lynn is an ass. Don't go there! As soon as you put out, he'll drop you like a hot potato," Her friend replied. Marley frowned.

"Oh come on! You're too harsh. You know, the Sadie Hawkins dance is next month…do you dare me to ask him?"

"No I don't! Ok, please don't judge me, but you need to know this. Before you moved to McKinley, we dated-"

"You dated Ryder Lynn?!" 'Jenny' interrupted loudly, astonished.

"-yes, just for a couple of weeks…then as soon as I opened my legs, guess what- it was the last I saw of him." Her friend replied with a sigh.

"Oh my goodness, really?"

"Yup. I sat on the same Chemistry table as him and like the week after he pretended like he didn't even know who I am. Believe me, he is piece of work. Just…don't tell anyone, ok. I don't want people knowing I'm yet another naïve 'slut' that Ryder Lynn humped and dumped…"

Marley stood absolutely still. She tried to tell herself that he was nothing special, just a guy, and that she was nothing more than disappointed, and that the Ryder she knew wasn't like that and had changed, but deep down, she knew she was really upset. She turned around and immediately went to find her Mom to go home.

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The next day after school, Marley and Ryder were taking a break from their latest tutoring session. Ryder had been given the extra confidence boost he needed by snatching the win for McKinley last night and especially from seeing Marley cheering him in the stands. He was, therefore, about to take a step.

"So…did you have fun at the game last night?" He asked her, looking right into her blue eyes.

"It was awesome…I mean, half the time I had no idea what was going on but…it was great. And you won it right at the end…that was so cool!" She smiled.

"Cool…" he started, summoning up his courage. Why was this so hard? When had it ever been hard talking to a girl in this way? Obviously Marley was different… "So…I was wondering…if you maybe wanted to go out for dinner sometime…" He suggested. Marley raised an eyebrow. "…Like…on a date." He finished, looking up nervously, at her shocked face.

Marley felt her mouth drop in shock, and her cheeks turn pink. She was caught in the classic battle between head and heart; her heart was screaming 'yes', but her head was thinking back to the conversation she'd overheard last night, to the open box of condoms in his car, to the hordes of girls who stared at him lustfully wherever he went…and she and her Mother had been hurt so painfully by a man before…

"Ryder…sorry, but…no…I can't." She replied reluctantly, wishing with all her heart that she could say yes. Ryder's face fell, the usually confident, slightly smug expression replaced by a crestfallen one of sadness.

"Why?" He asked, correctly not believing that she didn't want to. Marley looked down.

"…I…we get on so well as friends, but…" she trailed off.

"but what?" Ryder persisted. It was a very new and alien feeling, being rejected by a girl. Particularly when the girl in question was the most perfect one he'd ever met.

"but…I've heard lots of things…" she continued, "and…I know you're so sweet with me, and I don't think you're faking that, but…you kind of sound like the kind of guy who gets what he wants from a girl then never calls back." She looked down, feeling very awkward.

"…Marley…" he whispered, not knowing what to say.

"Am I right?" she asked timidly. Ryder sighed. He couldn't lie to her.

"…I…ok. I may have been that guy in the past…" Marley looked down and gave a small, resigned, sad smile. "…But…I don't know Marley…everything's different with you. I can't explain it any more than that, because I'm honestly having a hard time understanding it myself." They both remained silent for what seemed like an age, but was no more than a few seconds.

"Can we compromise?" Marley asked, sighing. Ryder raised a questioning eyebrow, so she explained. "Ok…If you get at least a B in our English test next week, you can take me to dinner to celebrate as _friends. _Deal?"

"Does a B minus count?" Ryder asked hopefully. Marley folded her arms and shook her head. Ryder sighed. "Fine. Deal." 

**Ooh! What do you think about that lovely people? Let me know below! Also, chapter 10 of my other fanfic 'A Journey Soon Begins' is out and was drama filled- so if you'd like to find out why it took me longer than usual to update **_**this **_**fic, please check it out :p **

**To my beautiful reviewers:**

**TeaAndGlee: Thank you so much! I'm not the biggest fan of Unique either. I like her as Marley's friend but that's about it!**

**Guest 1: For your review of chapter 1- thanks! I love Ryley and hate Jarley too! Hope you continue to enjoy the story.**

**Gleeotch13: Aw thanks so much, that's such an awesome compliment! You're the bestest :)**

**Savannaramirez35: Thank you! Here's your update lovely. Are you updating your Jennoist fic anytime soon? :D**

**Guest 2: I'm assuming you reviewed chapter 4,5 and 6 at once? If you are separate reviewers I apologise! But yeah, Millie does need to get on board the Ryley train! I am deffo continuing my dear :)**

**Merci also to followers/favouriters!**

**Lauren xxx**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello lovelies, somehow managed to update both my on-going stories this weekend before my classes double this week(!)…Hope you enjoy this chapter…things are starting to get a tiny bit fluffy…**

Ryder tapped his fingers nervously on his English desk, as he and Marley, along with the rest of the class, waited for Miss Holliday to give back their marked tests; he had been waiting for this moment for over 2 excruciatingly long weeks since Marley and he had made their deal. In that time, he had studied non-stop, not stopping to talk to Katie once, and, almost a week earlier, done said test. He had also had the disappointing news that the Sadie Hawkins dance was going to be postponed until just before the Christmas break- with it only being October now he would have a long wait to see if Marley asked him to it- although, he considered, that would mean more time to make sure that she would.

He wasn't entirely sure how this test had turned out; perhaps thanks to Marley's tutoring, and the extra classes he had started since his dyslexia diagnosis, it hadn't been anywhere near as atrocious as the last one, in fact, he thought it might have been ok, but he didn't want to tempt fate, considering what was riding on it; not just another 1% of his English grade but also a date with Marley.

_It's not a date Ryder! _He thought to himself, but he hoped that it could be a vital stepping stone towards such a goal. Miss Holliday arrived at their table, and handed Marley her test.

"Good job," she added, but Marley frowned. Ryder glanced over and snorted with laughter. An A minus. Marley was upset about an _A minus._

"Marley, if you're unhappy with that mark I will definitely swap with you!" he laughed. She smiled weakly. Ryder faltered, realising it was his turn.

"Much better, Ryder. Keep this up please," Miss Holliday said enthusiastically, but Ryder held out celebrating until she placed his result in front of him.

He had got his B. He was only a couple of marks over a B minus but that was irrelevant. _He had got his B. _

"Yeah!" He shouted and punched the air, louder than he intended, causing half the class to turn their heads and stare. He glanced to his right, and saw that half-hearted Marley's smile had grown into a sincere grin.

"Well done Ryder." She said quietly. "I'm proud of you." She added, wrinkling her nose adorably.

"Are you sure, cos it's lower than an A minus and apparently that's not good enough," he joked, before Marley giggled and poked him in the arm. "I hope you're remembering our deal," he added.

"Oh I'm remembering," she replied.

"Tonight?" He asked, hopefully.

"Tonight? It's Thursday Ryder…why not tomorrow?"

"Can't do tomorrow." He shrugged. "But I can't wait until Saturday either, so…" Marley blushed slightly.

"Okay…I mean I'll have to convince my Mom to drop me off wherever we go, but…okay." She smiled, sitting back in her chair and folding her arms.

"Good. You'd better get ready for some breadsticks," He responded, sitting back and crossing his own arms, playfully mimicking her.

"Breadsticks?" She asked, looking somewhat put out. "I thought we agreed on dinner!" She scrunched up her face, indicating her displeasure. Ryder laughed loudly.

"_Breadstix." _He replied. "It's the name of the restaurant. The only decent place to eat in Lima, newbie."

"Oh 'newbie'…that's what you're calling me now is it?" She asked, grinning.

"Well it's that or 'singing dancing dork' so, take your pick," he replied. Marley laughed, and was just about to respond, when the pair were interrupted.

"Mr Lynn and Miss Rose, if you could save your flirting for after class that would be great, the lesson has started," Miss Holliday shouted loudly from the front of the room, but with a smirk, (she always took great delight in spotting potential student hook ups and embarrassing them whenever possible), and the rest of the class burst into raucous laughter, save for a few jealous girls who stared down this quiet new girl who was apparently involved with their crush. Ryder smirked ever so slightly, but stopped when he noticed Marley look down and inhale heavily, her cheeks turning bright red.

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"Marls…I'm just not happy about you dating that boy." Millie said softly, the worry etched in her face, as she watched her daughter straighten her hair in anticipation for her meal out with Ryder.

"It's not a date!" Marley replied pointedly. "Ryder is my friend, Mom. Nothing more. You don't have to worry." She finished off the last strand of hair then went over to her, taking both her hands and looking at her earnestly, before continuing her defence of Ryder. "It's not a date, but even if it was –which it isn't- you wouldn't have to worry…he's not like Dad…" she finished, wincing slightly at the mention of him. Millie smiled weakly.

"I know he's not, darling. I just don't want you to get hurt."

"I know, Mom. You'll still drive me to Breadstix, won't you? I don't want to have to call Ryder and ask him to drive his rich boy car over to Lima Heights Adjacent…"

"I will, honey. As long as you promise me it _doesn't_ turn into a date!" She smiled, but her demand was firm.

"I promise." Marley sighed.

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Millie obligingly dropped Marley off at Breadstix just before seven, and Marley got out the car immediately, seeing that Ryder was there already, leaning on his 4x4 and looking _gorgeous _in dark jeans, a white t-shirt and a leather jacket, which did him much more justice than the Letterman style he wore to school.

_Stop it Marley, this is not a date and you are going to get over this crush… _she thought to herself, knowing that that was going to be a lot easier said than done.

He looked up and spotted her, and grinned. She half-skipped over to him, hoping her rather low cut dress wasn't too much.

"Whoa...you look amazing…" he said, clearly ogling. "Shall we, m'lady?" He joshed, putting on a funny voice, pulling himself together and holding out his arm for her to hold. She raised an eyebrow.

"Oh…right, I get it. Not a date." He said awkwardly, putting his hands in his pockets to emphasize that he would keep his hands to himself. She smiled, and followed him into the restaurant.

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"So, why did you move to a dump like Lima, anyway?" Ryder asked Marley, as they were finishing off their three course meal.

"Oh…um…we just wanted a change…" Marley said in a guarded manner, looking down.

"Why?" Ryder persisted, determined to solve every mystery this girl threw at him. She sighed.

"Um…well, my parents split up." She said quickly.

"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that," he replied, looking her deeply in her eyes, but raising an eyebrow, implying the desire for an explanation, which did not go missed by the brunette.

"I'd actually…rather not talk about it," she said quietly, with a weak smile. Ryder took the hint.

"That's ok. Sorry, it's none of my business, I-"

"It's fine, Ryder." She interrupted, after finishing her cheesecake. "That meal was amazing." She announced, handily changing the subject. "I now understand why you make such a fuss about this place."

"Told you!" Ryder exclaimed triumphantly, after waving for the waiter to bring the bill. The waiter returned shortly after, and Ryder gave him his card, and started to put in his pin number.

"Wait, Ryder let me give you some money-" said Marley, fumbling for her purse.

"No, I insist. A gentleman always pays." He smirked.

"But this isn't a date," she reminded him.

"I know. But this is my treat. For the coolest girl I know, even if she's just my friend." He smiled. Marley pursed her lips, preventing them from stretching into a grin.

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After chatting some more, the pair decided they should probably get going. As they walked out the restaurant and into the parking lot, Ryder spoke.

"Are you sure you don't need me to give you a ride home?" Ryder asked.

"Oh, thanks but it's okay, my Mom's picking me up. In fact, there she is," she replied, noticing her Mother sat in her car and, after having made eye contact with her, pointing at her watch, having obviously been waiting quite some time.

"Okay, so I guess- oh wait, I almost forgot." He started. "The reason I couldn't do this tomorrow is because one of the guys on the football team is having a house party tomorrow night…do you wanna come?" He asked.

"Oh…um…do you think he'd mind you inviting me?" She asked naively.

"You haven't been to a high school party before have you?" Ryder laughed, and Marley innocently shook her head.

"Marley, like the entire grade will be there, it's cool. So…you in?"

"Well…I guess I have to experience at least one high school party before I graduate…" she answered, smiling. Ryder grinned.

"Awesome!" He replied, rewarding her with a trademark double thumbs up. "I'll give you the address at school tomorrow, yeah?"

"Sure!" She affirmed, enthusiastically, before her Mom beeped her car horn. "Oh- I'd better go! Bye Ryder. And thanks for the meal…it was lovely." She smiled.

"You're welcome," he replied, before Millie beeped again. "Bye!" he said hurriedly, and before she could skip off to her Mom's car, pulled her in for a hug. They pulled away, and she looked at him with wide, shocked eyes, smiling slightly.

"Good night," She whispered.

"G'night Marls." He replied, and watched her bounce over to a frowning Millie Rose before strolling contentedly to his car.

_Remember Ryder, _he thought. _It wasn't a date…_

**Eek! So, what do you think's gonna happen at the party? Did you enjoy this chapter or do you think I can improve anywhere? Let me know below, only takes a few seconds :)**

**To my lovely reviewers:**

**Ember411: Woop love me some ryley feels- so I hope you enjoyed this!**

**Guest: Ahh! You're one of my fave followers, despite not knowing who you are- so mysterious! :p So glad you like the story!**

**Savannaramirez35: hehehe-fun fact, Marley's feelings on Ryder's 'view' are basically mine on Blake's :p I loved your new chapter! It's hard, but I'm finding the time- so here is your update :)**

**TeaAndGlee: Hooray, I hope you enjoyed this one too! Here was some more :p**

**eXtraOrdinaryGirl04: Hehehe, Ryder took your advice! I agree, Millie needs to get on board the ryley ship!**

**Thanks again- your reviews mean the world to me,**

**Lauren xxx**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hehehe, I thought of the idea for this chapter like 3 weeks ago and I've been really looking forward to writing it since…so here it is! Hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee.**

It was 10pm on Friday night, and the party was just beginning to liven up. Ryder was relatively merry, and he and the other jocks were immersed in a competitive game of beer pong whilst the house was quickly filling up with rowdy teenagers. Ryder was having a good time, but at the back of his mind, something was bothering him- Marley still hadn't arrived, and, given that she didn't seem like the kind of girl to still not be here at this time, he thought she might not be coming at all. He pulled out his phone, and tapped in a text message.

_Hey Marley. Are u stil coming tonite? x_

He didn't have to wait long for a response.

_On our way now! Went to Unique's after school to get ready, we're coming together_ :) _x_

Ryder shrugged, but smiled. She hadn't had a change of heart. Downing the rest of his beer, he abandoned the game, and went to stand by the open front door, hoping to intercept Marley when she arrived. After about 5 minutes, a car pulled up, and Ryder watched Unique Adams get out, followed by the girl he really wanted to see. Marley spotted him immediately and gave him a shy smile and a wave. She had certainly made an effort, perhaps more effort than was required for a boozy house party, but Ryder didn't care. She looked absolutely stunning in a green floaty dress which accentuated her beautiful figure perfectly, and her hair had been straightened. She skipped over to him, followed by Unique.

"Hey Ryder!" she greeted him enthusiastically.

"Hey!" He replied, pulling her in for a big hug.

"Hi…" Unique said.

"Um…hi." He responded, as politely as he could, before turning back to Marley and grinning once again.

"Come on in, I'll get you a drink!" He exclaimed, and she eagerly followed him through the door and the hordes of drunk high schoolers, into the kitchen.

"Um…I think Greg only has beer to spare…" Ryder said apologetically, opening a green bottle and handing it to the brunette. "I know it's not really a girl's drink, but you could try it."

"Who says it's not a girl's drink?" She teased. "I bet I can drink it easily…" she announced, not even convincing herself.

"Go on then!" he challenged, with a wicked grin. Marley obediently put the bottle to her red lips, and took a swig, wincing and spluttering as the bitter liquid ran down her throat. Ryder burst out laughing.

"You'll be able to bear it more if you take small sips." He advised.

"No," she protested. "It'll be better if I drink more in one go and get rid of it quicker."

"Ok but, be careful," he warned, correctly believing that Marley probably wasn't very used to drinking. He obligingly opened another one for Unique, who then asked Marley to find the bathroom with her. Marley sighed and looked apologetically at Ryder.

"I'll…talk to you in a couple minutes, yeah?"

"Sure," he said; his voice failed to hide his frustration and, just as Marley was beginning to follow Unique, whispered in her ear; "make sure you do." Marley blushed and smiled at him, before following her friend.

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Unfortunately, they did _not _talk in a couple of minutes. Ryder got distracted by another intense round of drinking games, and Marley, well, who knows where Marley was, Ryder hadn't seen her since she went off with Unique, and he didn't realise this until half past midnight. The majority of the jocks had become too paralytic to focus on the games, and Ryder, who was not quite so drunk, realised that he hadn't seen the brunette in a long while. He left the living room to go on a hunt.

After climbing up the stairs with great difficulty, having to step over couples making out and less fortunate part goers who were passed out or vomiting, Ryder noticed a familiar figure stumbling around in one of the dark bedrooms.

"Marley?" he called out, walking into the room and switching on the light.

"Oh, helloooooooooooo you!" She slurred excitedly. She was alone, and appeared to be dancing by herself to the music which was booming from downstairs.

"Marley are you drunk?" Ryder asked, half amused, half concerned; she seemed pretty far gone.

"NO!" She shouted loudly, throwing her arms dramatically in the air and giggling hysterically. Ryder gave a wry smile and raised an eyebrow. "Ok…" she admitted. "Maybe a _little _bit…" Ryder snickered as he sat on the bed to stop the room spinning from his own slight drunkenness.

"I only gave you one beer, lightweight!" He teased. Marley giggled and looked down guiltily.

"I stole some more…" she confessed, with a wicked grin.

"Marley Rose!" Ryder started, feigning shock. "Such a rebel!" Marley laughed, and continued to dance, swaying around in circles.

"Why are you on your own?" Ryder asked, becoming slightly more sobered up by the realisation that Marley's friend was no-where to be seen, and that he could have inadvertently left her alone for hours. "Where's Unique?"

"She went…" Marley replied, pouting melodramatically. "She was hung up on some guy who she was texting, but now he's barely interested cos he's into some other girl and blah blah blah... So she left early…BORING!" She yelled, barely comprehensibly. "So yeah…" she paused to hiccup… "I've just been here, dancing by myself and shit…" Ryder's eyes widened and his chin dropped. He had never heard Marley curse before. He was kind of impressed.

"Wow, you're really smashed Marley…" Ryder remarked, and Marley proved him right when she tripped over her feet and went crashing onto the floor, banging her head on the bedside table.

"Shit!" Ryder muttered, and jumped off the bed to try and help her up. She was fine, and apparently found her fall absolutely hilarious, but she couldn't get up.

"Ok," Ryder sighed. "I think we need to get you home."

"No Ryder! I'm having so much fun!" She argued, but Ryder was by now much more sober, and much stronger, so, despite her protestations, easily swooped her up and over his shoulders, and carried her out the room and down the stairs as carefully as possible, and then towards the front door. On the way out, Jake noticed.

"Dude!" He shouted, an impressed grin on his face. "Getting her drunk then banging her! Classic move bro! I underestimated you man!" he held his hand up for a high five, which Ryder did not return, but instead glared at him angrily.

"Jake don't be such an asshole! I'm just helping her out, I'm not gonna take advantage of her while she's drunk!" He spat out, angry that Jake would think he would do that to Marley and embarrassed at himself that he might indeed have considered such an approach before a girl like her had come into his life.

"What did he just say about me?" Marley yelled angrily.

"Nothing Marley, just ignore him." Ryder advised. He walked away from the house and down the road, where he lifted Marley down from over his shoulder. "Ok Marley, you need to help me," he told her. "I'm gonna have to walk you home-"

"But Ryyyyydeerrrrr," she started. "Then you'll have to go to Lima Heights Adjacent, rich boy…"

"Yeah, but I sure as hell aren't letting you walk there by yourself, not that you'd probably even manage to get that far…Look Marley, you're gonna have to guide me there, and I'll help you walk, and keep you safe. Deal?" He asked, knowing that her answer was irrelevant- he was helping her get home whether she liked it or not. Luckily he didn't face any more protestations.

"Deal-io smealio whealio," she affirmed, spinning herself around in circles at dangerous speed.

"Marley, stop it be careful-" he warned…it was too late. Marley fell onto the hard pavement with a thud, her dress riding up and revealing her slim legs –and underwear. Ryder turned red and reluctantly averted his eyes. Marley was ok; again, she was roaring with laughter, apparently finding her fall the funniest thing on the planet.

"This is going to be a long night," Ryder sighed.

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No less than _two hours later, _Ryder and Marley were finally stumbling up to what Marley claimed was her house. Marley had by now peaked, and was in the much less fun stage of drunkenness- she was exhausted and felt sick, and Ryder had spent the last hour carrying her, as she simply could not walk.

"Are you sure this is your house, Marley?" Ryder asked, not wanting to anger a resident of the notorious crime hotspot of Lima if Marley had got it wrong.

"Well, is my Mom's car in the drive?" Marley slurred wearily, by way of reply. Ryder looked, and Millie's small car was indeed parked in the tiny house's driveway. He then grimaced at the thought of how Millie might react if she found out, and walked reluctantly up to the front door. With his free hand, that is to say, the hand that wasn't making sure the paralytic girl wouldn't fall off his shoulder, he tried to open the door, hoping that Millie might have left it open for Marley when she got home.

"It'll be locked Ryder, I was supposed to be staying over at Unique's 'til she bailed on me…" Marley explained. It was indeed locked. Ryder swallowed hard. He would have to ring the doorbell and wake up Mrs Rose.

A couple minutes went by with no answer, so he ran it again, a couple of times.

"Mooooooommmmmmmyyyyyyyy," Marley whined loudly up towards the upstairs window, parading her drunken state for the rest of the street to potentially hear.

"Marley shh, you'll wake up your neighbours," Ryder chastised.

"But she's taking so looooong," she moaned grumpily.

"It's gone 3am Marley, she'll be asleep! She needs to wake up before she answers the door."

"Ring it again!" She ordered bossily, and just as Ryder was about to oblige, the door opened, and a very cross, very tired looking Millie Rose stood at the door.

"What on Earth is this?" she asked furiously, then, upon seeing her daughter lying limply over Ryder Lynn's shoulder, understood what was wrong. "Oh dear…" she said, standing back to allow Ryder to carry Marley into the house, before shutting the door. She directed Ryder into the small living room, and he lay Marley down on the couch. "Marley, you silly girl! I told you to be careful!" she scolded her, despite her daughter being 17 years old. She turned to look at Ryder, and glared. "Did you give her alcohol?" she asked, angrily.

"I…I gave her one beer Mrs Rose, that's all, I swear." Ryder implored, looking her straight in the eye.

"Hehe…I stole the rest…" Marley giggled sleepily but boastfully, still clearly proud and showing little remorse for her rebellious achievement. She closed her eyes, so didn't see her Mother turn to glare at her with her hands on her hips.

"Oh dear," she sighed again hopelessly. She turned back to face Ryder. "Mr Lynn…you know well that I don't particularly like you and you know exactly why, and I certainly don't approve of your friendship with my daughter, but…thank you. I dread to think what might have happened to her if you hadn't brought her here." She gave him a small, grateful smile.

"Oh…that's ok Mrs Rose. I was just doing what any decent person should." He replied.

"Could you help me put her to bed?" Millie asked. Ryder nodded, and carefully lifted Marley up again, and with her, followed her Mother upstairs and to her bedroom, which was small, cosy and cute…it was typically Marley. He laid her down on the bed, and Millie covered her with the duvet. Feeling Millie's stern gaze watching him, he reluctantly left the room. Millie came out a couple of seconds later.

"Well…I guess I should get going Mrs Rose-" he started, but trailed off when Millie shook her head.

"Oh no, you're not walking home alone from this neighbourhood at this time of night," she told him, pointedly. "You can spend the night here. We don't have a spare bedroom but you can sleep on the couch. I can drive you home in the morning." She told him, kindly.

"Oh…thanks Mrs Rose, that's so kind." He said with a warm smile.

"Well…it's the least I can do to say thank you." She explained. "My daughter could be lying dead in a ditch if it weren't for you."

"I wanna say goodnight to Ry-Ry!" came a semi-delirious shout from Marley's room. Ryder sniggered at her apparent new nickname for him, then looked at Millie, asking permission.

"You have two minutes before I come in," Millie told him sternly. Ryder smiled gratefully and went into Marley's room, where she lay contentedly in her bed, her face lighting up when she saw him.

"Heyyyy Ryyyyyy…" she slurred. He smiled, and crouched down right beside her bed.

"Hey there, raging drunk," he teased playfully. She smiled, and sat up slightly, narrowing the distance between their faces.

"I should have said yes…" she told him sleepily, hardly knowing what she was saying, but being truthful, all the same. Ryder raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

"Should have said 'yes' to what?" he asked, confused.

"To going on a date with you…I should have said yes." She lay back down and her eyes flickered shut. "I'm a silly billy," she yawned adorably, almost asleep.

Ryder sat gobsmacked at what he was hearing. Marley seemed now to be asleep. He only hoped she would remember saying this in the morning, although it was touch and go.

"Ten seconds," came an impatient voice from the other side of the door. Ryder leaned forward and gently placed a chaste kiss on the sleeping beauty's forehead, before getting up.

"Night Marley," he whispered, and left the room, a million thoughts going through his mind.

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Ryder awoke the next morning, and went to find Millie cleaning in the kitchen.

"Morning…" he started awkwardly. She turned around with a start.

"Oh. Morning Mr Lynn," she said formally. "Shall I run you home, or would you like a glass of water first?" She asked kindly.

"Oh, I'm ok thanks. Could I maybe go see Marley before we leave?" he asked, crossing his fingers. Millie gave him a wry smile.

"I went to see Marls about a half hour ago. Let's just say she won't be in any fit state for visitors today…serves her right for getting in such a state," she chuckled. Ryder thought about protesting, but he didn't want to get any further in Millie's bad books, so simply nodded and followed her out to her car. He would have to interrogate Marley about what she had said last night at school on Monday.

**Tada! I think this is my favourite chapter so far- how about you? I hope you found it funny, I was trying to make it funny! Also, I know I had a couple requests for a kiss in this chapter and I'm really sorry, I would have loved to put it in for you but I've had all the details for it planned out for a while, and look on the bright side…you **_**may **_**not have to wait much longer and it **_**may **_**be a lot more romantic than a slobbery drunken snog! Let me know what you thought of the chapter below!**

**To my reviewers:**

**Ember411: Sorry sorry sorry! SOON! There was still some Ryley cuteness though, so I hope you enjoyed that! Also, you should get yo'self on tumblr girrrrllll! (assuming you don't have it as you anon me but tell me who you are? Forgive me if I'm wrong!)**

**GabGaspard: I'm so glad you did! Hope you enjoyed the chapter!**

**Savannaramirez35: I feel like that, haha, we're so delusional :p Hope you enjoyed this update, too**

**Gleeatic713: You have no idea how excited I got when I saw all your reviews coming in- you are rylazing! And you were so nearly correct with your predictions- you got the Marley getting drunk bit totally right! Sorry they didn't kiss, but stay tuned! **

**Hope you enjoyed! **

**Lauren xxx **


	10. Chapter 10

**Hi guys, sorry I've taken so long to update, uni work has been building up. I hope you enjoy this chapter- it's evidently not as crazy as the last one but it has some hopefully exciting and key moments!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee or the character's, merely the plot.**

Ryder made his way to English class with added purpose on Monday. He hadn't managed to catch Marley all day, but she obviously couldn't avoid her desk partner in the lesson. He arrived and went into the fast filling classroom and noticed that she was already there, tapping her feet anxiously under their table, clearly feeling awkward.

"Hey there Little Miss Alcoholic," he murmured teasingly into her ear, coming up from behind her. She jumped, glanced momentarily at him, then looked away, sighing heavily and closing her eyes with a grimace. He chuckled, and took his seat next to her, before she looked at him with a frown.

"…I'm so embarrassed…" she moaned, causing Ryder to roar with laughter. "I can't believe you saw me like that…I can't believe I _got _like that…"

"How much do remember?" Ryder asked curiously, determined to get to the bottom of her comment before she had fallen asleep.

"Not too much. It's all very blurred…I do remember you carrying me home, if that's what you mean…" she replied with a sigh. Ryder guffawed again, and Marley allowed herself a small bashful smile, deciding it would probably be better to laugh at herself.

"Do you remember how pissed your Mom was?" Ryder inquired, with a grin.

"Oh yes. And even if I didn't, I would have known by the yelling she gave me yesterday, once my horror hangover from Saturday had subsided…" she told him, with a telling expression.

"Oh yeah? What'd she say?" He asked. Marley sat up straight and put her hands on her hips.

"_Marley Rose, how dare you be so irresponsible?! You could have been taken advantage of! You could have been killed! You could have choked to death on your own vomit!" _She screeched, playfully mimicking her Mother's voice and tone. The pair fell into a fit of giggles, until they were both shouted at by an exasperated Miss Holliday, who wanted to start the lesson.

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The bell rang, signifying the end of English and the end of the school day, and Miss Holliday dismissed her class. Ryder and Marley walked leisurely towards their lockers to get the rest of their things before going home. On the way, Ryder realised that, with no teacher to interrupt his interrogation, now was the perfect time to further question her.

"So…" he started. "About Friday night…do you remember what you said to me?" he asked with a raised eyebrow and a slight smirk.

"I…said a lot of things I'm sure I'll regret," she replied, looking very pointedly at her feet in an attempt to avoid eye contact with him.

"Yeah, but I mean…specifically before you fell asleep you said…that you should have said yes…to going on a date with me…is this ringing any bells?" He asked, mentally crossing his fingers.

Marley didn't reply verbally, but the way in which she scrunched up her face and turned bright red did all the talking that was required. Ryder grinned.

"AHA!" He shouted, making her jump yet again. "So you _do _remember!" He exclaimed triumphantly, as she stood mortified before him.

"I…" she started, but didn't know what to say to counteract his suggestion. After all, he was right; she _had _said it, she _had _remembered it and she _had _meant it. Eventually, she managed to form some sort of reply. "I'm such an embarrassment to the human race," she groaned.

"No you're not Marls!" Ryder protested. "Ok- I mean, getting trashed to the point of needing carried home, that was quite embarrassing," he chuckled, as Marley frowned, "but…what you said…that wasn't embarrassing at all. Or if it was, then I'm guilty of the same embarrassment, aren't I?" He justified. Marley simply raised her eyebrow bashfully.

"Look, what I'm trying to say is…we both know full well that I want to go on a date with you. And now we both know full well that _you _want to go on a date with _me. _So-"

"So what?" she interjected, feeling awfully self-conscious at the way Ryder was pulling her feelings apart. He could read her like a book.

"So…you think you should have said yes, well here's a second chance. Will you, Marley Rose, go on a date with me, Ryder Lynn?" He asked, looking deep into her bright blue eyes.

Marley bit her lip nervously and paused, thinking for several seconds, then nodded, with a shy smile.

"Really?" he asked quietly, almost in slight disbelief. She nodded again. "Awesome!" He exclaimed, feeling like he had just won the lottery. "Well…shall we say this Friday? I mean we can discuss it further later on in the week but…"

"Sure," Marley said, her shy smile now having transformed into a beaming grin. "Friday sounds great." They both simply smiled at each other in pleasant silence for a few seconds, before she spoke again. "Well I should probably get going…my Mom's gonna be waiting for me and if I put a toe out of line after _last _Friday I will almost certainly be grounded for _this _Friday…" she sighed.

"Well we sure can't have that!" Ryder grinned. They said goodbye, and he watched Marley hurry off after getting her things, before quietly punching the air in celebration.

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Marley had been trying to think of a way to tell her Mom about her plans with Ryder for a while. On the one hand, Marley was about to go on her first ever date, with the first guy who'd ever really liked her, and she'd ever really liked too, and she wanted to share that excitement with her Mom, but on the other hand, she knew that her Mother would be dead set against it being with Ryder Lynn, and might even try to stop her from going. Ryder had gone up slightly in Millie's estimations since last Friday's debacle, but Marley knew that she definitely would still hate the idea of them dating.

Late on Thursday evening, Marley finally decided that she couldn't keep such a big milestone in her life a secret from her Mother –the most precious person in her life- for any longer, and knocked on Millie's bedroom door just as she was getting ready for bed.

"Come in sweetheart," came her Mother's familiarly cheery voice, from the other side of the door. Marley entered, and sat on the end of her Mom's bed, whilst Millie sat at her small dressing table.

"Hi Mom," she said nervously.

"You okay hun?" Millie asked, never failing to detect any difference in her daughter's tone or emotions, however slight.

"Yeah, I just…I have something to tell you. It's a good thing," she added, when her Mother furrowed her brow.

"Tell away sweetheart," Millie said with a small smile, turning to face her daughter since it was probably important.

"Well uh…" Marley stuttered timidly. "I kind of…have a date tomorrow night…" Marley finished, and to her surprise, was immediately pulled in for an excited hug from her Mom.

"Oh my baby girl!" Millie shrieked, her voice rising an octave higher than usual. "My baby girl all grown up and going on her first date, how sweet!" Marley pulled herself away from her Mother's tight clutches, and tried to process her bizarrely positive reaction. She had thought she would freak.

"So," started Millie, after regaining her composure. "Who's the lucky young man?"

Marley froze, and her eyes widened in shock. _Really? _She thought. _Mom really doesn't know the answer to that question? _The naivety, she thought, did explain her elated outburst, but she continued to sit still and stare at her mother with a _'seriously?'_ expression, and it very quickly dawned on Millie who the lucky young man in question was.

"Oh no, hun." She started when she realised, the disappointment etched in every word. Marley sighed loudly in frustration, and was just about to speak, when her Mother cut her off.

"You promised me you wouldn't get any more involved with that boy Marley! You promised me!" she started, her voice raised. Marley winced, they never fought, partly because it brought back painful memories, and partly because they were _that _close. Millie continued. "How many times do I have to tell you, he only wants one thing from you! Sweetheart I know what it's like to be with someone who's only bad for you, you know that too! Look, I understand why you have a crush; he's handsome, he's popular, he's funny, but you're only going to get hurt-" Millie was cut off from a surprising and rare outburst from her usually quiet daughter.

"You know what Mom, I'm sorry, but…you're wrong this time! Ryder likes me, ok. He understands me-"

"Oh Marls don't be so naïve. Every guy pretends they 'understand' a girl they want to get in with-"

"Mom stop!" Marley yelled, angry tears now streaming down her reddened face. "Stop being so judgemental…you're basing him off of a stereotype and nothing else! You know, just cos a guy wears a Letterman jacket, and is popular, doesn't mean he just wants to…you know. And aren't you forgetting he might as well have saved my life last weekend? You said it yourself! And I'm not the naïve little girl you think I am anymore, Mom, I'm not stupid, okay…I know that Ryder has a…colourful…past, but he's changed! Maybe even because of me…look, if I thought that he was going to treat me badly I wouldn't have agreed to go out with him! And I'm 17 years old, you can't control me anymore! What is your problem? What, just because Dad hurt you and left you bitter and alone you want to ruin things for me?!"

Marley stopped as soon as she'd realised what she had said, and clamped her hands on her mouth. Millie looked visibly shaken, and looked away from her daughter, rubbing her arms and clenching up out of impulse.

"Oh God…Mom I'm sorry I didn't mean that…" Marley said, her voice breaking ever so slightly.

"I know you didn't hun. Come Here." Millie whispered, opening her arms and beckoning her daughter to come and fill the gap in between them. Marley obliged and wrapped her own arms around Millie's neck.

"I'm so sorry," she whimpered again. "That was a terrible thing to say…"

"You were angry Marls, it's ok-"

"No it's not ok!" Marley said firmly, scolding herself, more than anything. "That man…that pathetic excuse of a husband and Father hurt us more than anything and I used him to score a point over you, that's a terrible thing to do!"

"You weren't thinking straight Marls. We all lose our heads sometimes and say things we shouldn't."

The two stayed in that position for a little while, before Millie pulled away slightly, and spoke softly.

"You're _really_ sure about this boy, Marley?" she asked. Marley looked her in the eye, and sniffed.

"Yes. I am." She said simply. Millie looked like she was thinking for a minute, then sighed.

"Then you two have fun tomorrow night." She replied, with a small, reluctant smile. Marley simply looked at her, the surprise evident in her expression.

"Really?" she asked quietly.

"Yes." Millie affirmed. "But if he tries to steal anything more than a kiss from you, you kick him to the curb and don't speak to him ever again, you understand me?"

"I understand," Marley giggled. "Oh thank you Mom, thank you thank you thank you!" She squealed, pulling her Mom back in tightly for another hug.

"Good night Marls, you'd better get your beauty sleep before tomorrow," she joked. "Besides, it's school night." Marley grinned, and obediently went to her own bedroom, but before going to sleep, popped on Facebook and, seeing that Ryder was online, typed him a quick message.

'_So I told Mom about our date tomorrow…' _she typed, not having to wait long for a reply.

'_How did she reakt?' _Replied Ryder.

'_Not great…then we had a huge fight…then I said something really mean…then we made up…then she said I could go…so I guess it turned out ok in the end!'_

'_Marley Rose has a mean streek? Whooda thunk it?' _He joshed. _'So…were stil on for me piking you up at 6 then?'_

Marley giggled, before typing out her final reply before going to sleep.

'_We're still on :D Good night, Ryder x'_

'_AWESOME :D night marls x'_

With that, the two logged off to go to bed, but neither got to sleep too soon, as they were both too excited about what lay in store for them tomorrow night.

**You like? You no like? Tell me below! So guys, Ryder and Marley are going on a date! Woo woo! And we see another side to Marley and Millie's relationship… And there **_**may **_**just be something exciting happening in the next chapter, and not just their date, that's all I'm saying :p**

**To my lovely reviewers:**

**Ember411: Haha, you might be right! I'd love to see the newbies drunk in an episode like 'Blame it on the Alcohol' :p Here is your update my dear :)**

**TeaAndGlee: Aww thanks so much! Haha, I love drunk Marley too, she's a mischievous one :p Here is the update, sorry it took a little longer than usual.**

**Gleeatic713: Don't worry I love the craziness, haha! Oh thanks, you're too kind. Hmm the waiting just got one hell of a lot shorter, that's all I'll say :p**

**Savannaramirez35: She's learning to deal with him, I think! Yeah, I hated the Klaine, but Marley and Ryder standing next to each other was a small consolation…they seemed to have more background moments than Jarley in 5x02, as well. Here's the update :)**

**Guest: Thanks so much for all your reviews! People like you who review every chapter are my faves :p I hope the kiss is worth waiting for, I don't want to disappoint you or any other readers! You might find out very soon, hehe**

**PS. Is anyone still on cloud nine after another great Jennoist day yesterday? :D**

**Thanks again for reading,**

**Lauren xxx**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey guys! Sorry, I had hoped to publish this chapter yesterday but it still needed a little bit of tidying up and editing to do and after watching the Quarterback I wasn't really in the right frame of mind until today. But here it is…and let's just say I hope it's worth the wait :p**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee.**

Ryder pulled up to the Rose residence at about 6 o'clock on Friday evening, and took a few nervous deep breaths before getting out of his car and walking up to the front door. He told himself that it was silly to be this anxious; he and Marley had hung out together loads before, but tonight there was a crucial difference; it was a date, an official one. He checked his hair in the door's frosted glass, cleared his throat, and rang the doorbell.

No more than a few seconds later, the door opened, and Ryder was once again face to face with Millie Rose.

"Good evening Mrs Rose," he said politely, knowing he still had an awfully long way to go to get her seal of approval.

"Good evening Ryder," she replied, amicably enough. "Marley's almost ready." Ryder nodded, and anxiously wrung his hands out of impulse. The two waited for Marley in awkward silence, Ryder concentrating on the ground to avoid making eye contact with Millie, who was, as usual, staring him down. After what had seemed like an eternity, Ryder heard footsteps, and looked up towards the stairs, and was stunned. It was official, he thought; Marley Rose was the most beautiful girl on the planet. She was wearing a tight red dress, which was short and revealing enough to excite, but conservative enough to leave the typical Marley-esque mystery which always drove Ryder wild. Her brown curls fell long below her shoulders and framed her face, which had slightly more make up on than usual- Ryder found the matching red lips particularly thrilling. Marley noticed Ryder's ogling, and bit her lip nervously before speaking.

"Is this too much?" she asked, frowning.

"No!" he exclaimed. "It's…you're perfect." She smiled shyly at his response, before remembering that her Mother was watching the entire exchange, eyebrows raised.

"Um…bye Mom," she said awkwardly.

"Have a nice time. If you're not back by midnight you're not going on another date until college," Millie replied, only half-joking.

"That's fine Mrs Rose," Ryder stepped in. "She'll be back by midnight, I promise." Millie nodded, wearing an expression which seemed to say 'she'd better be', but finally closed the door, leaving them to it.

"Sorry about Mom…she's just…she doesn't want me to have an experience like she did…" Marley told Ryder, as he opened the passenger seat door to his car, and helped her in, before walking round and getting into the driver's seat, buckling up and starting the engine. "You look smart," she remarked as he reversed out of the drive, gesturing at his black suit and maroon tie.

"Well," he started, turning on to the main road, "we're going to a smart place." Marley grinned, now filled with even more anticipation, as if it were even possible.

"So," Ryder began, as they drove down a road full of fast food restaurants. "Do you prefer McDonalds or KFC?"

Marley sniggered, and decided to humour him.

"McDonalds," she shrugged, laughing, until, to her dismay, he did indeed pull into the McDonald's drive thru.

"Ha ha, very funny," she exclaimed, no longer impressed with Ryder's idea of a joke.

"What do you want?" he asked, wearing a serious expression. Her eyes widened. "Quick Marley, I'm at the radio thingy." Marley's face fell.

"I…ugh," she sighed grumpily, before Ryder gestured to her to hurry up. "I don't know, McChicken sandwich meal with coke?" she asked quickly, exasperated. Ryder nodded and leant out of his car window.

"Hi, McChicken sandwich and Big Mac meals, both with coke please," he ordered, before leaning back in and moving up to the collection point. Marley still regarded him open mouthed in dismay. Ryder didn't miss her indignant expression.

"All in good time Marley, all in good time," he said with a smile, before paying, collecting their order and handing the angry brunette her food. "Eat quickly on the way," he added. "We can't take food inside."

"Inside where?" she asked curiously. He grinned smugly and tapped his nose.

"You'll see." He replied cryptically, and pushed on the gas.

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Less than ten minutes later, Ryder pulled in to a parking lot, got out of the car, and opened the passenger door for Marley, who was just finishing her chicken burger.

"Where are we?" she asked, confused, after she had jumped out. Ryder simply pointed her in the opposite direction to the one she was looking. She spun around and let out a small gasp.

"We're going to see a show?" she asked, gazing in awe at the theatre before her, her voice much more positive than it had been when they had got food.

"Yeah! Well…technically it's a ballet. There's a touring company performing here in Lima for a few days, I don't know much about it but apparently they're good. I was hoping there'd be singing or a play on or something but…you like dancing too, right?" He asked hopefully, crossing his fingers.

"Are you kidding?" she exclaimed, grinning. "I've wanted to go since I was like, five years old but…me and Mom could never afford it…" she admitted.

"Yeah…about that," he started. "I'm really sorry we had to get crappy fast food, it's just, after I bought the tickets I didn't have much left for fine dining-"

"Oh Ryder…you didn't have to spend all that money on me, we-" she told him, feeling bad, but was interrupted.

"Marley, you are worth every dime," he said sincerely, taking both her hands in his and staring into her bright blue eyes.

"I underestimated you, Ryder." She admitted, smiling and feeling butterflies in her stomach at the sensation of his warm hands on hers.

"Well…maybe I'm more romantic than you thought," he suggested with a pleased grin. "Come on, we're gonna miss the start if we don't hurry." Marley squealed with excitement, now having completely forgiven him for the McDonalds, and they made their way into the theatre hand in hand, just in time for the performance to begin.

Ryder would be the first to admit that he did not like ballet. He did not find it interesting, he did not find it entertaining, he simply didn't understand it. But none of that mattered when he had Marley sat next to him. Whilst she watched the dancers on the stage below, he watched her- the almost constant grin she had on her perfect face, the way she would gasp in awe at a particularly elaborate move or stunt. Every few minutes, she would turn to him and mouth 'thank you' or, 'this is awesome' or 'you're the best'. She was in her element, and therefore, so was he.

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"Well Ryder, despite the shaky start, this was the _best date ever._" Marley declared at the end of the night, as the car pulled up to her house, not bothering to include the fact that it was also her _only _date ever. Ryder chuckled as Marley unbuckled her seatbelt.

"Well Marley, this was _my _best date ever too." He exclaimed, with a smile.

"Have you ever taken a girl to the ballet before tonight?" she asked, eyebrows raised.

"Nope. To be honest this is the first really special date I've been on," he said sincerely, with a nod of the head for emphasis. "Why?" He asked, laughing, but wanting to know the answer.

"I just wondered…sorry…" she sighed, looking down awkwardly. "I guess I just…" she trailed off, finding it hard to express herself.

"You guess you just don't realise that you're one of a kind, Marley. You don't realise how amazing you are." He said, taking her hand, and stroking it softly. She smiled, and looked down, her cheeks turning pink, only going unnoticed because it was by now late and dark. She looked up and noticed that Ryder was looking intently at her. She bit her lip, and the two stared at each other awkwardly for a couple of minutes, both too nervous to make the next move. Finally, Marley broke the silence.

"I guess I should get going before I accidentally break my curfew," she suggested, stumbling over her words.

"Oh…um…yeah…goodnight Marley," Ryder replied.

"Goodnight. Thanks for an amazing evening," she said awkwardly, before jumping out the car and walking hurriedly towards the house. Ryder ran his hands through his hair, moaning in frustration. What was it about Marley that made him so…scared? He looked out the window and noticed she was fumbling in her purse for her house keys.

It was now or never…well…now or not tonight, certainly.

"Marley, wait!" He called out, with a level of urgency, jumping out of his 4x4. "You forgot something," he told her. She spun around, looking puzzled.

"What did I forget?" she asked, as he jogged over to her until he was standing right in front of her. He looked deeply into her eyes, and smiled slightly.

"This." He replied.

With that, he raised his right hand to gently cup her cold cheek, and slowly leant down, closing his eyes, and, after what had seemed like a million years of hoping for and dreaming of this moment, pressed his lips gently onto hers. She tensed up slightly in surprise, but then relaxed, and kissed him eagerly back, her heart pounding in her chest. After a few glorious seconds they parted, and Ryder opened his eyes to see Marley's eyes flutter open, and she looked back at him as if she was almost in a daze. She inhaled heavily, catching her breath, before speaking.

"Can I tell you a secret Ryder?" she whispered. He looked down at her and nodded emphatically, taking her hands and caressing them lovingly. Marley swallowed, and continued. "That was my first kiss," she announced. Ryder's eyes widened. He couldn't believe that someone as beautiful as Marley had got to 17 years old without having been kissed.

"Really?" he asked, the shock evident in his voice. She nodded slowly, her lips curling into a small, shy smile. "Well…." began Ryder, "was it as special for you as a first kiss should be?" He asked.

"Yes…" she whispered, her voice barely audible, but her tone giving away her happiness. Ryder smiled further.

"Would you like to have your second kiss?" he asked cheekily, with a handsome smirk.

"Yes please…" She said breathily, almost begging for the feel of his lips on hers. He eagerly obliged, leaning down to close the gap between their faces again, slightly deeper this time. He smiled against her lips as he heard her moan into the kiss, and felt her wrap her arms around his neck. They pulled apart again, both gasping for breath, resting their foreheads against each other and giggling slightly, not saying anything, but both knowing that it was because they had both seen this coming for so long and it was finally happening.

Marley looked at her watch, and gasped.

"It's one minute to midnight, Ryder. I'd really better go," she told him, her face showing the fact that she really didn't want to.

"You know…one minute is just enough time for your third kiss," he suggested, the adrenaline and high he was feeling allowing him to push his luck. Luckily, she smirked back, and stood on her tiptoes to connect their lips again.

It was in fact, not until after Marley had also had her fourth, fifth and _sixth _kisses that they finally reluctantly said goodnight. Ryder stood back and watched Marley unlock the door, turning around to give him one last smile before closing it behind her. He had to shake off the urge to do one of his signature end-zone dance moves, but settled for jogging back to his car and driving to his own house with a wide grin stretched across his face.

**YAY! FINALLY! I hope it was worth the wait for some kissing! I'm really not confident about writing kissing scenes so I would appreciate a review or comment for this chapter more than ever...thanks!**

**On the subject, to my reviewers from last time:**

_**Gleeotch13:**_** You're back, hooray :D I hope you liked the cuteness here too, thanks!**

_**TeaAndGlee:**_** Thank you! Haha, it was touch and go at the start, but I think it turned out pretty well, don't you? :p**

_**Savannaramirez35:**_** Hoping for a Jarley break up pronto as well! I assume you were asking about last week's episode- I didn't mind it, but I wanted more Marley and Ryder :p As for The Quarterback…ugh, it was so sad, but beautiful. But yes, here is your update, I hope you enjoyed!**

_**Ember411:**_** You hoped for kissing, and you got kissing! So I hope you liked that! Hmm, as for smut, I've written a little, but honestly I'm scared to publish it! I'm not sure if there will be any in this story- I've considered it, but we'll have to see how it goes :p Maybe I'll grow a pair and publish some in another story some time :p**

_**Gleeatic713:**_** The great wait is no more! Glad you liked the last chapter- hope you liked this one even more! I'm hoping and praying for canon Ryley too! Thanks for the review!**

_**Guest:**_** Hehe, here is your update. Oh my gosh, so many kind compliments in one review! Thank you so much, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! **

**So, until next time lovelies,**

**Lauren xxx **


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey guys, thanks for your awesome response to the last chapter and **_**the kiss… **_**Also, I should tell you that for the sake of moving along the plot and to not risk falling into some Jarley-esque boring-ness, the story's timeline is now in early to mid- November, just over two months since chapter 1 and 3 weeks since the events of chapter 11, just to let you know :) So, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee, sadly.**

"So…you're dating her?" Jake asked Ryder in disbelief, as they sat down at their usual table in the cafeteria at lunch break.

"Kind of." Ryder replied. And it was the truth. In the past exactly three weeks since that perfect Friday night, he and Marley had been seeing each other as much as they could. They hadn't really put a formal label on it yet, partly because it was still very early days, and partly because they were both very new to this whole idea of being in a committed relationship; Marley because she was a shy wallflower who had never been kissed until now, and Ryder because he had, before Marley, been much more interested in lustful one-night encounters than actual romance. Ryder also had an idea up his sleeve. If all was still going well in the next very few weeks, he wanted to go public with Marley as an official couple in style, at the Sadie Hawkins dance.

"…and you still haven't banged her yet?" Jake continued his interrogation crudely, smirking as he shoved a forkful of pasta in his mouth.

"We're taking it slow, man." Ryder shrugged. "And don't think you have a chance now!" He added.

"I know, I know. She's all yours," Jake conceded. "But wow bro…kind of dating, not pushing for sex, and still wanting more…could it be the notorious Ryder Lynn is finally in lurrrve?!" he teased dramatically, causing the rest of the jocks, who were eagerly listening, and equally astounded by their friend's sudden interest in commitment, to roar with laughter.

"Um…I'm not in…I mean…let's not get ahead of ourselves Jake," Ryder stuttered, avoiding his best friend's watchful gaze and trying and failing to be 'cool'. Jake continued laughing, clearly not convinced.

"Whatever you say bro…whatever you say," he sniggered. Ryder felt a buzz in his pocket, and pulled out his phone, drawing obnoxious cheers and wolf whistles from his friends, and cries of things like; 'text from your princess, Ry?' or 'message for lover-boy!'

"Shut up!" He yelled, his tone serious, worrying that Millie, who was of course working mere metres away, might overhear and get the wrong end of the stick- she was just beginning to come round to the idea of her daughter dating him, and he didn't want her to think he'd been saying inappropriate things about her again, far from it; aside from Jake, who had evidently been closely following the relationship from day one, the rest of his friends only knew about his seeing Marley because he couldn't stop himself from talking about how amazing she was. Once he had calmed them down, he looked at his phone and his face fell. The message was not from Marley. It was from Katie, the first contact from her in at least a month, and unwelcome contact at that. He contemplated deleting the message without even looking at it, but, out of curiosity, pressed open, for Katie hardly ever texted him, even back over the summer break, when they would spend hours every night talking online.

"_Since you've abandoned the chat room I decided to text you. I know about your little girlfriend, babe. But I also know that you loved me before you even met her, and you'll love me after she's nothing but a high school memory. I forgive you for seeing her, too. It's not too late to salvage our relationship. Please reply. Katie xxx"_

Ryder read back the words slowly, took a deep breath and sent a fake smile to his friends, wanting to hide the reality of the message. They had known he had previously been talking to a girl called Katie, but that was all they had known. They didn't know how serious it had gotten and they certainly didn't know that she had turned into an obsessive bunny-boiler. He managed to keep his cool, and text back.

"_How can I love somone who refuses to meet me? And I never loved u, I liked u. Ill come online after school and explane everything" _He typed simply, deciding that, however crazy she was, it was unfair to leave Katie hanging and not give her any closure. He would end things officially with her today.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When he got home from school, Ryder went immediately online, grimacing at the prospect of the conversation he was about to have. Katie was already waiting for him, so he wasted no time, and set right away about getting it over with.

**ryder_lynn: **_So im just gona come out and explane everything too u. ive met a girl, yes. a girl who likes me and I like too, and who I have actualy met in real life. Weve hit it off and, honestly, (im telling u this becos ive told u lots of personal stuff before) honestly I think im falling for her. I want to be faithful to her in every way. So this stops now. as far as im concerned it ended a wile back, but now im making it offishal. Wotever we had is now over. Im sorry it had to be this way but you have to undastand that I cant commit myself for life to and give up the chance for somethng reel for somone behind a computer screen. Maybe one day we can be frends, but for now, no contakt. I dont want to mess up something potenchully realy special._

He gulped, hoping it wasn't too cold, and pressed send. Katie did not respond for an awfully long time, so he began to think about preparing a picnic for tonight, another Friday night date with Marley. It was not until after he returned from making and packing two helpings of sandwiches and snacks, that his computer finally jingled, indicating a reply.

**katie_xoxo: **_You're really gonna break my heart over her? You're really gonna choose some girl you met like two months ago over someone you've told everything to? And you can stop being so cryptic about her, I know that her name is MARLEY ROSE, and that she's a senior at your school. I also know she's a whiny little stuck up bitch who doesn't deserve someone as awesome as you. She doesn't love you. She just wants a chance to be popular for once in her pathetic life! So choose carefully Ryder, think very carefully about this choice you're making._

Ryder read the girl's cruel, acidic reply, and began to furiously type back, almost stabbing at his keyboard.

**ryder_lynn: **_ur crazy! I dont know what I ever saw in u! firstly, marley is NOTHING like that, and secndly, how do u know who she is?_

Katie replied much more quickly this time.

**katie_xoxo: **_It doesn't even matter how I know who she is. What matters is you saying you're gonna dump me for some bony little skank. You know, she just pretends to be all innocent cos she knows guys like a chase. You should know that you're actually considering trading me in for some SLUT._

Ryder almost laughed dryly in disbelief. Katie had somehow transformed from a shoulder to virtually cry on to a vindictive psycho.

**ryder_lynn: **_UR A LIAR. __And even if Marley had slept with other guys, who wud I be to judge. Ive slept with tons of girls and she knows that and still acepts me for it. I could have been with u, if u met up with me, but u didnt. So dont blame this on me or marley. If u had met up with me rather than stringing me along on here, maybe id be dating u now, not her. GOODBYE._

**katie_xoxo: **_Ryder you can't just leave me!_

**ryder_lynn: **_I have to go anyways, I hav a date with Marley in less than half an hour. Dont message me agen._

With that, Ryder angrily closed his laptop. He hadn't wanted to be quite so firm, or rub the fact that he was going out with Marley tonight in Katie's face, but she wasn't getting the picture and was being downright horrible about the girl he cared most about. He sighed, wishing he had never gotten involved with Katie in the first place, but brushed it off. It was time to forget all about it, and just have some fun with Marley again.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

About two hours later, Ryder and Marley were sat on a blanket beneath a tree at a quiet nearby park, after having devoured the picnic that Ryder had made earlier. Ryder was leant against the tree trunk and Marley was cuddled into his chest, his fingers lazily tracing circles on her back. They had been chatting excitedly whilst eating, and were now enjoying a pleasant silence, and the feeling of being snuggled together. Ryder however, had something on his mind, and decided now was the right time to breach the subject.

"Marley," he began, causing the brunette to look up slightly, into his eyes. "Do you…know anyone called Katie?" He asked. She furrowed her brow, and thought for a minute.

"No, I don't think so. To be honest the only people I really know here in Lima are people in the Glee club and _you,_" she admitted. "Why?" She asked, curious to know why Ryder was concerned about a girl other than her; jealousy was evidently her thing.

"Oh it's nothing. It's just someone told me they knew about us and they had heard it from someone called Katie," he lied. _It's technically half true, _he thought.

"Do you not want people to know about us?" Marley asked worriedly.

"Oh that's not what I mean, I don't mind at all, I just wondered if you knew who was spreading the gossip, that's all," he told her.

"Well I did tell a couple of my closest friends in the Glee club," she admitted. "I told them to keep it quiet but maybe they told someone." She suggested. They fell silent again, Ryder wondering what the link could be. Maybe she _did _know one of Marley's friends from Glee club? He internally shook it off. It didn't even matter. Katie was a finished chapter of his life, and besides, a girl who couldn't bring herself to meet up with someone she claimed to be in love with couldn't be much of a threat to his and Marley's blossoming relationship.

After a few minutes, Marley looked up at Ryder again, the familiarly beautiful smile stretched across her face.

"You were right you know," she said. Ryder raised an eyebrow, urging her to explain. "You really are a romantic guy. A picnic in a park that we have nearly all to ourselves whilst the sun's going down? Lord knows I would have _not _thought you had _this_ in you when we first met…" she chuckled, and Ryder cringed, his mind flashing back to when he had unknowingly insulted her mother during their very first conversation. It was only just over two months ago, but it seemed like a lifetime. He himself felt like a different person.

Almost as if she was thinking the exact same thing, and didn't want him to be any more embarrassed, Marley leant up and stretched her neck to reach Ryder's face, crinkling up her nose and brushing it against his cheek. He took the hint and turned to meet her lips with his own. Marley grinned into the kiss and moved her arms to run her hands through his long, floppy hair, before gasping slightly as Ryder slowly ran his tongue along her bottom lip, asking permission. She paused, then obliged, and before she knew it, was lowered back onto the blanket, Ryder hovering over her as they kissed more deeply than ever, it was her first 'heavy make out session', she supposed, and least it was until Ryder ran his hand, without realising on reflex, towards Marley's chest.

"Stop!" Marley said, abruptly breaking the kiss, before catching her breath. "Please…I'm sorry, I…"

"Shit!" Ryder muttered, realising he had let his hands roam a little too far. "Sorry Marls," he pleased, looking into her eyes. "I wasn't thinking, I'm so sorry-"

"It's fine," she interrupted, sitting up and brushing down her shirt. "Don't be sorry…I just…I only kissed a guy for the first time three weeks ago, I'm not ready to…you know…do _that…_" she explained. "Especially in a public place…even if it is getting dark," she chuckled awkwardly.

"It's fine, Marls," Ryder assured her, also noting that, as if it needed proving, that Katie's accusations of Marley being a 'slut' were totally made up. Marley smiled slightly at his nickname for her, then frowned.

"I'm sorry…I must be so frustrating…" she groaned. Ryder immediately cupped her cheek.

"Don't say that! You are perfect. And _I'm _the one who should be sorry. Look, I am prepared to wait as long as you need, Marley, whether that's ten days, or ten years," he said sincerely, smiling.

"Oh…well…I hope it'll be less than ten years," she giggled, before looking up at him. "But thank you." She told him, smiling once again. Ryder bent down to give her an eskimo kiss, before pecking her chastely on the lips.

"Come on dork," he teased. "It's getting late, I'd better get you home; your Mom is _just _starting to like me and I don't want to screw up again."

"I don't want to leave," Marley sighed. "But I guess you're right."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ryder got home after dropping off Marley and walked upstairs with a spring in his step. He didn't care about Katie's Marley based vitriol anymore, nor how she knew who she was. He had had another perfectly romantic date with his favourite girl despite the minor mishap caused by his own wondering hands, which had only served to allow them to open up to each other further still.

He walked into his bedroom with the intention of collapsing immediately into bed after the end of another jam packed week. (Balancing school, football, extra dyslexia help sessions and now a sort-of-girlfriend was exhausting.) However, he noticed a dim glow from his laptop, and, remembering that he had simply slammed it shut in disgust earlier, went to open it and shut it down properly. As it burst back into life, he noticed that one last reply from Katie had popped up. He sighed and clicked on it, deciding in advance that it would be the last time he ever opened that chat-room. He scrunched his eyes to examine what it said.

**katie_xoxo: **_You're going to regret this._

**Dun dun duuunnn…**

**Well quite a lot happened in that chapter, what did you make of it and what do you think its effect might be on future events? Let me know below, only has to take about 10 seconds :)**

**To my lovely reviewers from last time:**

_**Sydney:**_** Hey! Thanks, I'm so glad you enjoyed the chapter! I hope you continue to find it amazing :)**

_**Gleeotch13: **_**Ah, I see. I'm so pleased you liked the kiss! I know you love the fluff so I hope you enjoyed the fluffy part of this chapter too. Hope it continues to please you :)**

_**Ember411: **_**Hooray, even **_**more **_**kissing! :p Yeah, still undecided on smut, probably not in this story, but maybe I'll put some in another story!**

_**Savannaramirez35:**_** Woop, they sure did! Me too, Jarley needs to go! Here is your update, lovely :)**

_**Guest: **_**I'm so pleased you liked it! Here is the more you requested, and I hope you enjoyed this too!**

_**Gleeatic713: **_**Eep, I love your reviews so much! Haha yeah, it was certainly more romantic than mine XD Aww thanks! Only fleeting mentions of Millie, but she's starting to like him atm. I think the problem is that Marley, in fact all the newbies put together except Kitty, have had like 3 lines between them in 3 episodes…me too, gimme canon Ryley!**

_**TeaAndGlee: **_**Aww, thank you so much! Glad you thought it was cute, I hoped people would think that :p Here is more, hope you enjoyed this chapter also :)**

**Thanks again everyone, and until next time,**

**Lauren xxx**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey guys, sorry I took a little while to update! Thanks for your feedback from last time, it was amazing! I'm still not particularly happy with this chapter- I've had a little writer's block and have struggled with converting its plan into actual words- so it's a little shorter than usual, but it's filled with drama, so I hope you enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee! **

Whilst Katie's threatening words had sent a chill through Ryder's spine, he was comforted by the events that followed them over the next two weeks…that is to say, nothing. On the next couple of dates with Marley, he had been on edge, always trying to spot something untoward which might suggest Katie's revenge. However, as a fortnight had gone by with no problems, he had fully relaxed, and, as the calendar page turned over to December, his mind was fully preoccupied with something else; the fast approaching Sadie Hawkins dance.

Marley hadn't asked him yet. He had been anticipating it on their date a few nights ago, but no. He was starting to suspect that perhaps, since they were almost officially dating, she might have just assumed that they were going together without having to ask- she had certainly hinted at that, anyway. However, Ryder wanted official confirmation, perhaps to boost his ego, perhaps to make him feel less bad about turning down all the girls who had already asked him; with that in mind he was currently searching the corridors of McKinley in search of Marley, hoping to give her a slight hint when he found her. He was just about to turn a corner when he was startled by a girl he had never seen before, grinning provocatively at him.

"Hi…" she started. Ryder forced an awkward smile.

"Hi…could I get through please?" He asked politely.

"I'm afraid I can't allow that." She said, with a threatening, fake-sweet tone. "It's part of my contract." She explained. Ryder raised his eyebrows.

"Your what?" He asked, confused and a little creeped out. He had spent so much time worrying about Marley, he hadn't even considered that _he_ might be the target of Katie's wrath. Was this Katie? No. Her hair was too dark. However, he didn't have time to speculate further.

"My contract," she affirmed. "I get paid five hundred bucks at the end of the day, as long as I do _this." _With that, the girl grabbed Ryder's face forcefully, and almost shoved her tongue into his shocked, open mouth. Ryder pushed her off with as much strength as he could justify using on a girl, and wiped his mouth with his Letterman jacket sleeve, but not before the girl's employer, who was hiding behind the corner, had had time to take a picture of the events and make an escape without Ryder noticing.

"What the hell?" He yelled accusingly at the girl. "You just _violated my mouth!" _

"Payday!" She grinned, and sauntered away from the stunned boy, towards the school's entrance –and exit.

"What, so you kiss a random dude against his will then just walk out of school?" He asked furiously, more confused than he thought he might have ever been in his life.

"Oh I don't even go here, I was just doing my job," she exclaimed, smiling all the while, and making her way towards the parking lot. "Bye Mr Lynn. Pleasure doing business with you. I would love to stay and chat, but, I think I have $500 to spend," she taunted him.

"Who's paying you?!" He yelled.

"I think she said she was called Katie…" she smirked, "but I'm not so sure." She let out a smug laugh, before walking over to and getting into a car. Ryder stood there, stunned, wondering why the girl 'wasn't so sure', and what Katie was hoping to achieve by the whole ordeal. The bell rang for the next class.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ryder left his last class of the day, a few hours after the morning break debacle, and made his way towards Marley's locker, where he knew she would be as she always went there first at the end of the school day. He had taken the decision to tell her exactly what had happened to avoid any further repercussions…once he had brought up the subject of the Sadie Hawkins dance, of course. As he got closer, he sure enough could see her organising her books in her locker, so he jogged over to her.

"Hey beautiful," he whispered down her ear. She heard him perfectly well, but did not reply. "So, I've turned down quite a lot of date offers to the Sadie Hawkins dance already," he persisted, hoping she'd catch the hint.

"That was stupid of you." She said bluntly, not turning around.

"Well…I was hoping a certain someone might ask me," he suggested, forcing a worried grin. Marley simply sniffed, and he caught a sight of her quickly reddening face.

"Wait…Marley…are you crying?" he asked, more worried than ever.

"Yes I am, thank you very much," she snapped. "So who's this 'certain someone' you're hoping's gonna ask you to the dance?" She asked, her voice laden with bitter sarcasm. "That girl you were making out with this morning?!"

"Oh crap…wait, Marley let me explain-" Ryder groaned, knowing she had gotten the wrong end of the stick.

"Oh, like it needs explaining!" She screamed, causing people in the somewhat busy corridor to turn and stare. She reached into her bag and pulled out her phone, pressing a few buttons before shoving it in front of Ryder's face. "This isn't just word of mouth…someone sent me this at the end of morning break, so don't even try to deny it!"

Ryder examined the phone. Sure enough, it was a clear picture of Ryder being pounced on by Katie's 'soldier'.

"I'm…I'm not denying it Marls, but I didn't want it to happen!" He tried to frantically explain. "She just sort of attacked me-"

"Really Ryder? Really? Because it looks like you're sucking her face off!" She shouted, hot tears running down her face.

"I…no! _She_ kissed _me_ and _I_ pushed _her_ away! I was on my way to see you, and BAM! She got paid to do it-" Marley gave a wry smile, evidently not believing a word of it, and interrupted furiously.

"Paid to do it? Oh, you are so full of shit Ryder Lynn," she cursed, earning a few 'ohhh's from the watching crowd.

"Marley you're not listening to me, just hear me out!" He pleaded. It was too late.

"I'm not listening to you because I don't want to hear any of it. And as for the Sadie Hawkins dance, you really should start thinking about accepting one of those offers, because I asked Jake Puckerman to go with me during lunch. And he said YES."

With that, she stormed off, hastily wiping away her tears. Ryder stood there dumbstruck. Not only had Marley gone, but she had gone straight into the arms of his best friend.

**I'm sorry! Please don't hate me!**

**Or if you're going to hate me, hate me in a review :) Or send me nice things in a review, whatever you're feeling, because I'm still a bit iffy about this chapter myself and would love to know what you thought about it!**

**Also I'm intrigued that you don't know who the catfish is, so I tried to keep up the suspense here…but I thought I had heavily hinted at it in previous chapters, so if you can't wait, do some investigation and you might figure it out ;) If you're enjoying the suspense of not knowing who Katie is, I will gladly keep it up for you :D**

**To my lovely reviewers from last time:**

_**Anon:**_** Thank you so much, that's so kind :) Sorry that wait was little while!**

_**Ember411:**_** Glad you enjoyed the Ryley kiss…I have a feeling you won't enjoy this ryley as much and I'm sorry :p **

_**LittleMusicalOwl:**_** Aww, thank you so much! Well you saw some of it here, but who knows, this might not be the last of it :p Also, I LOVE your username :D**

_**Savannaramirez35:**_** Hey, not too much is up atm :p Oohh, well, that's a bonus, I'm considering it…maybe ;) Also yay for the Glee rumours! I know nothing's confirmed yet but I'm keeping everything crossed!**

_**TeaAndGlee:**_** Your obsession? Ohh you flatter me too much, it's bad for my online ego :p I hope this chapter doesn't stop it from being your obsession!**

_**Gleeatic713:**_** She certainly does have a bad side, and it reared its ugly head just now! Glad you're enjoying the story so much :)**

_**Gleek555:**_** Aww, glad you thought the last chapter was adorable! Again, I apologise profusely for **_**this **_**chapter…**

_**Guest:**_** Thanks for both your reviews! Don't worry about it, I enjoy having your reviews come in when I'm not expecting them, haha! Aww you're so sweet! I can only hope that my story continues to make you feel that way :') **

_**Jessie:**_** Aww, I'm so glad you love reading this story! And wow, that is a huge compliment, this review made me so happy! I will do my best with updating, sorry I'm a bit slow sometimes- unfortunately boring things like uni homework get in the way a little :p**

**Thanks again to everyone who reviews/favourites/follows this story, you guys are the best :)**

**Lauren xxx**


	14. Chapter 14

**Two things- 1. sorry I took a good few days to update, my parents have been visiting me as I'm studying abroad, so I've been too busy to write much. 2. Thanks so much for your amazing response to the last chapter, the most reviews I've ever got for a single update! I admit it was probably because I broke your little Ryley hearts, but it means a lot all the same. So…I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or the song in this chapter.**

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Ryder roared as he slammed Jake to the ground and administered the first hard punch to his face. Jake tried to yell something back but was unable to, as the second punch came flying in. A large crowd gathered around the supposed best friends in the corridor, and the boys could vaguely hear the chants of 'Fight! Fight! Fight!" as they struggled on the floor.

"What the hell is going on here?!" Came the familiar voice of Coach Beiste, and Ryder felt himself being pulled off of Jake against his will. "Principal Figgins' office, NOW!" Beiste bellowed, and grabbed one boy with each strong hand before frogmarching them there.

"Why were you two boys fighting anyway?" Figgins drawled, after hearing the Coach's account of events.

"The asshole STOLE MY GIRLFRIEND," Ryder yelled furiously, and turned to sneer with little remorse at Jake, who was nursing a bleeding nose, which nevertheless did not stop him from defending himself.

"I didn't steal her. _She asked me to the dance, not the other way round. _I therefore assumed you weren't together any more…that means it's my turn!" He shouted, coughing on blood in the process.

"_Your turn?" _Ryder spat out in confused disgust.

"Yes, _asshole. _We had a deal. You get first try and when you screw it up, I get my turn. We agreed this in the first English lesson of the year, remember?" Jake explained. Ryder thought to himself, and vaguely remembered that they _had _indeed made such an agreement. He groaned. It really was Jake's turn, douchebag or not. He was interrupted from his thoughts by Coach Beiste's voice, which was filled with even more anger and disgust than usual.

"Boys, that is the most misogynistic damn thing I have ever heard in thirty years of teaching-"

"-But it is not against school rules," interjected Principal Figgins. "Fighting on school premises, however, is. I understand you are both bidding for a football scholarship. I am going to give you a final warning because you are star football players, but any more acting out from either of you and you will have a permanent mark on your school disciplinary record and your football dreams will therefore be over. Am I clear?" Figgins asked.

"Yes, sir," the boys mumbled in unison.

"Good. You may leave." Figgins announced, in his usual monotonic way. The boys stood up and shuffled out of the office, the tension filling the air around them. Once they had got out into the corridor, Ryder turned to Jake.

"You know what?" Ryder started, through gritted teeth. "Fine. It's your turn. If you make Marley happy then I guess I'll have to accept that. But I'm not gonna apologise for kicking your ass, and you can go to hell for all I care." With that, he turned away, kicked over a bin in fury, and, without waiting for a reply, started to march down the corridor to go home, as the bell signifying the end of the school day had gone several minutes ago.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

2 weeks later, on the Friday evening of the dance, just before 7pm, Ryder walked up to Kitty Wilde's house and rang her bell. A couple of minutes later, the pretty blonde answered, looking perhaps a little overly sexier than was appropriate at a high school dance. Ryder sighed. Marley would look much classier, but Kitty was his date, and so he complimented her all the same.

"You look nice," he told her with a forced smile, and she rolled her eyes.

"Oh please," she sighed. "Let's not pretend like we actually want to go to this stupid dance with each other when we both know the people we _wanted _to go with are going _together."_ Ryder gave a wry smile. Kitty always got straight to the point.

"Thanks," he replied sarcastically. "Way to knock a dude when he's already down."

"Whatever," she snapped. "Let's just go to this dance, put on a brave face, maybe make out a little, and make sure that Jake and Mona think we're having a really awesome time-"

"She's actually called Marley," Ryder informed her pointedly, as they climbed into his car.

"Mona, Marley, 'bitch who's taking Jake to the dance', I don't care," she sighed. Ryder forced a chuckle, and started the engine.

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The dance was in full swing, and Ryder and Kitty were hating every minute of it. Despite the fact that Marley did not seem particularly enamoured with Jake, seeing his supposed best friend dancing with her, running her hands all over her back and waist, and looking at her like she was a piece of meat, was difficult for Ryder to take. He was simply transfixed; partly staring at Marley, who as ever, looked absolutely beautiful, and partly glaring at Jake. He was broken out of his trance by Kitty's brash voice.

"Jesus Bieber, at least _try _and be subtle about it," she snapped. "And you're a crappy enough dancer as it is, the last thing I need is you not even paying any attention to your feet cos you're so busy staring at her."

Ryder gave her a vaguely apologetic look, but immediately after diverted his gaze back to Marley, who briefly caught his eye and gave him a sad, perhaps longing look (or was that his wishful thinking?) before making a point of laughing particularly hard at something Jake said to her. It made Ryder's blood boil. He dropped his arms from Kitty's waist.

"Kitty I'm sorry…I can't just stand here and watch this…I have to do _something,_" he told her. Kitty sighed heavily, and looked back at him with an expression of exasperation.

"Like what?" she asked, annoyed.

"…I asked my Dad earlier what to do to win a girl's heart…he told me that what a girl really wants is for a guy to get 'naked emotionally'." He informed the blonde.

"So?" Kitty asked, clearly wondering why the boy was telling her this.

"_So…_watch and take note, Wilde. Ryder Lynn is about to get emotionally nude."

"Ew," Kitty started, her voice laden with sarcasm and disgust, but Ryder wasn't listening, for he was already galloping towards the side of the stage, waiting for the band to finish playing the current song. When they finished playing, he stepped up and interrupted them before they could start the next one, and whispered in the singer's ear. After a few seconds of negotiation, he stood aside and allowed Ryder to take the microphone. The throng of students before him looked up in confusion and annoyance, wondering what the asshole football player was interrupting their dance for.

"So…" he began, uncharacteristically nervous. "I'm…er…I'm actually gonna sing a song for you now…" He was interrupted by an inevitable wave of excited and shocked chatter, and perhaps a few laughs. His eyes briefly wandered over to where Marley and Jake were standing. Marley looked back at him, wide-eyed, and Jake looked absolutely furious; in short, they both knew exactly why this was happening. It only spurred Ryder on more, and he continued. "This song is for a very special girl, who didn't come with me tonight, but…I wish she did, and I wish she'd let me talk to her. I'm sure she knows who she is…" With that, he turned briefly towards the band members and told them to start playing the song he had requested.

"_My love must be a kind of blind love…I can't see anyone but you…" _Ryder began to sing. To the shock of the majority of the school, his voice was good, and they began to slow dance to the romantic song…except for Marley and Jake, who stood frozen, watching Ryder carry out his grand gesture.

"_I only have eyes….for you…"_

For the entire duration of the song, Ryder locked eyes with Marley, and they simply stared at each other. Whilst he hoped and prayed that it was working, Marley was going mad. Her brain was jumbled up with feelings and emotions. With every word Ryder sang, it became clearer and clearer to her that she was in love with him, but he had hurt her so much, he had broken her heart…it was too much to take. She wanted to sprint away from everything, but her feet remained as if glued to the very spot she was standing in, and Ryder's eyes seemed to burn into her soul as she stared back, salty tears beginning to form in her eyes.

"_I only have eyes…for you…" _

Ryder finished the song and, as the people around her started to clap and cheer, Marley's feet finally began to function again, and she ran out of the gym as fast as she could. Ryder, considering his eyes had never once left her, immediately saw her flee, and ran after her, cursing her reaction to his song and thanking his long, fast, athletic legs at the same time. Jake and Kitty, the forgotten dates, also followed. Ryder finally caught up with Marley, who was by now sobbing, in the parking lot.

"Marley, wait, please!" He begged. She turned to him, her face bright red and covered in running mascara.

"I'm…so…confused…" she told him. "You can't do _that…_and then _that…" _she choked, somewhat incoherently through the sobs.

"Marls, I didn't do what you think I did, I swear on my own life-"

"But you did, Ryder!" she persisted. "I saw the photographic evidence! And now you're serenading me with a love song in front of the entire school and it just doesn't make any sense!" She shrieked.

"The only reason it doesn't make any sense to you is because I _didn't kiss that girl!" _he shouted, the frustration building up even further inside him. Marley stared back at him, finally beginning to wonder if she wasn't giving him enough of a chance, until she noticed Jake (and Kitty) jogging over to them, and she remembered that she was here with him because of what Ryder had done, and the moment of hope was gone. She looked pointedly at Jake.

"Take me home," she ordered bossily.

"Wait…really?" Jake asked by way of reply, flustered and excited. Marley sighed loudly and threw her hands up in the air in exasperation.

"What is wrong with boys?" She asked rhetorically. "I don't mean like that! Drive me home, drop me off at my house, _then leave!" _she snapped, and Jake's face fell, while Ryder gave a small sigh of relief, whilst still distraught that he hadn't won her back, and she still didn't want to be with him. Jake sighed and opened his car door for Marley, and the two drove off, leaving Ryder and Kitty standing forlornly in the parking lot. Kitty walked over to Ryder, and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Come on Bieber," she whimpered, almost as hurt as he was by the events. "Let's go and get so drunk we forget they exist for a while," she suggested. Ryder nodded sadly, and they walked to his car.

**Hmmm! What do you think about that? Let me know! I understand it's probably not the way you wanted the chapter to end, but look on the bright side…I originally planned to have Ryder and Kitty drunkenly sleep together after the dance, then changed my mind, so it could be worse, right?**

**So…to the amazing reviewers from last time:**

_**Gleeotch13: **_**Nooo don't die! :p And sorry! It's all about the drama! Here is your update, sorry about the wait!**

_**Ember411: **_**Sorry again! I hate Jarley as much as you do, rest assured. Hahaha, I should write you into the story to deal with Katie :p**

_**TeaAndGlee: **_**Phew! I worried the last chapter might put people off! Don't worry…I hate sappy jarley-related goo!**

_**LittleMusicalOwl: **_**Haha, you correctly predicted the grand gesture, but Marley is being stubborn! Glad you loved the last chapter, despite the ryley breakup!**

_**Savannaramirez35: **_**Sorry for killing your feels! Marley's got the wrong end of the stick! Here's your update! **

_**Guest (1): **_**I do apologise! But I'm glad you thought the chapter was good even so…I hope so too, haha!**

_**Kalette: **_**Aww, I'm so glad you love the story and my tumblr, that's so kind of you to say! Aww thanks, being complimented on writing style is probably the best thing that can happen to a fanfic author, so big hugs to you!**

_**guest (2): **_**Aww, please forgive me, haha! Hahaha, I will never call anyone who wants a jarley break up mean, I will call them 'someone with common sense' :p Hmm…good things at the dance for Ryder and Marley? I guess that's up to your interpretation of the events :p**

_**Gleeatic713: **_**Haha, I'm wondering if you've worked out who Katie is…I do enjoy reading people's guesses for it :p A whodunit without the murder, I like it! As ever my dear, you are so very welcome :D**

_**Gleek555: **_**Sorry…I know you didn't want Jarley to go to the dance together but unfortunately I have had the chapter fully planned for a while! Haha, I agree, Katie most definitely needs a slap :p**

_**rosepetalpout: **_**Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere! Oh, so many compliments in one review, thank you so much, and I'm glad you are entertained by the story. PS- I love you name!**

**Thanks so much you guys, you are the best! Thanks also to favouriters/followers :)**

**Until next time, goodbye!**

**Lauren xxx**


	15. Chapter 15

**Hey guys! So I owe you all an apology…I took about a zillion years to update, after a cliffhanger too, I accept that and I am **_**so **_**sorry! But this was mainly because I was focusing on my 3 ryley week one-shots; check them out if you haven't already :) To make up for this I am aiming to update after this chapter super quickly- hopefully on Wednesday or Thursday :) Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee…if I did I wouldn't write fanfic…**

Kitty Wilde staggered up what she hoped was the correct driveway, shuddering at the knowledge that she, of all people, had ventured into Lima Heights Adjacent; she was clearly a better friend than many people gave her credit for. She knocked three times on the door, wincing as the loud sound stung her ears and made her head throb even more, the unfortunate side effects of last night's heavy drinking making themselves known. After what seemed like an eternity, (for she was very impatient, especially when hung-over,) the door opened, and Kitty said a silent prayer of thanks as the lunch lady from school looked back- she was at the right house.

"Can I help you?" Millie asked the blonde, who she recognised as one of McKinley's popular kids, cautiously.

"Hello Mrs Rose," Kitty said, making her voice as sweet as possible. "I was wondering if your daughter was available, I wanted to talk to her about last night." Millie frowned, and sighed, briefly closing the door, then putting the chain on and opening it again.

"I'll go tell her you're here, but I'm not promising she'll talk to you," Millie told her. "She's very upset at the moment." Kitty rolled her eyes to the sky, but nodded.

"What's your name again?" Millie asked.

"Kitty. Kitty Wilde." The cheerleader told her, before Millie disappeared away from the door, and upstairs to Marley's bedroom, where the brunette was curled up in bed, trying to forget about the world.

"Marley sweetie, you have a visitor," she started.

"If it's Ryder, I don't want to know," Marley groaned.

"It's not Ryder, if it was I would have sent that boy away without even telling you he had come," her Mother admitted. "It's that cheerleader, Kitty Wilde," she explained. Marley sat up abruptly, wearing a confused expression.

"Kitty Wilde?" she asked, hardly believing it. Kitty was McKinley royalty, and the only thing connecting them was Ryder. Marley decided she was probably here to gloat, and sighed, throwing a dressing gown on over her pyjamas and dragging herself downstairs and over to the door, before undoing the chain and facing the popular blonde.

"Wow. You look even worse than me and I had four hours of sleep and a shit ton of beer last night," Kitty said bluntly, by way of a greeting. Marley stared back at her warily, slightly stunned, as this was the very first time the popular cheerleader had bothered to talk to her, or even acknowledged her existence.

"Look…" Marley started nervously. "If you're here to gloat about Ryder, don't bother, you can have him."

"Wow. You're so self-centred you make _me _look…not self-centred…" Kitty told her, her tone acidic. Marley's eyes widened. She had never been told that before. "Let me in," Kitty continued.

"No, I said you don't need to-" Marley tried.

"That wasn't a question." Kitty interrupted, before barging her way past the stunned girl and into the Rose's house.

"What are you doing?" Marley asked with a slight shriek.

"Show me where to sit down, and you and I are gonna have a little talk about Ryder." Kitty announced. Marley wanted to protest, but Kitty was clearly not in the mood to be argued with, and in all honesty, Marley was quite scared of her…she was behind many of the slushy attacks on her Glee club friends, after all. For that reason, she reluctantly lead Kitty into the kitchen, and gestured to her to sit down at the small table, whilst sitting down herself.

"How do you even know where I live?" Marley asked, feeling slightly weirded out that the blonde had managed to find her house.

"Ryder already told me you lived in this dump of a neighbourhood and then I used the yellow pages, it's not rocket science. Anyway, that's not important. Okay boob-less, first of all you're gonna explain to me why your reaction to being serenaded in front of the entire school was _running away." _Kitty instructed her, and Marley sighed, putting her head in her hands before looking up again.

"I'm just so conflicted…" She groaned.

"Conflicted about what?!" Kitty asked, half-shouting. "About a guy you've been dating expressing his lo-feelings…for you?"

"About a guy…expressing his…feelings for me, after kissing another girl!" Marley replied, wondering why it wasn't obvious to the cheerleader.

"Look. I've known Ryder longer than you have, and I can hand on heart _swear _he did not kiss that girl-" Kitty protested.

"I saw! I saw a photo!" Marley retorted.

"You saw a photo of Ryder being pounced on by some pyscho bitch who got paid to do it by some even bigger pyscho stalker Ryder has following him around. He told me _everything_ last night, when we were blind drunk. A drunk mouth speaks a sober heart. He is way into you, he _did not _kiss that girl, and you didn't even give him a chance to explain himself!"

"How do you know that?" Marley asked. "You know drunk people can lie too-"

"Do you even know who I am?" Kitty retorted, exercising her usual air of self-importance. "I am Kitty Wilde. I can smell bullshit a mile off. That's why I know. That's also why I know that you have zero interest in Jake Puckerman, you only asked him to the dance to make Ryder jealous, which by the way, was a really shitty thing to do, for more than one reason."

"You like Jake?" Marley whimpered, almost cowering at Kitty's outburst, and feeling awful, because, as rude and scary as Kitty was…she was also right.

"Yes I do, thank you very much. But we're not talking about me. We're talking about how you saw that picture, which I'm sure looks like the least romantic kiss ever, and, rather than confronting Ryder and asking him what happened, went immediately to his _best friend _in an attempt to spite him." Kitty looked sternly at Marley as she shouted at her.

"I…you're right…it was a terrible thing to do…" Marley stammered, thinking back to the picture and remembering the way Ryder's arms had been positioned up in the air...in shock…she realised that now.

"Well eureka. Poor little Marley's finally realised she's in the wrong here. Now will you please call Ryder? I mean, I personally think he could do better than some whiny little kiss-ass, but I'm his friend and I can see that he is _way into you. _Like…nothing I've ever seen before. Look, if you're seriously still not sure, let me tell you how you our little drinking session ended last night. It ended with me carrying Ryder home and having to put him to bed before his very bemused father thankfully offered me a ride home. But before I left, when he was passed out, he was like, mumbling your name…it was like really creepy but really cute at the same time."

For the first time in the conversation, the corners of Marley's lips curled up into the tiniest of smiles, and she let an almost silent giggle escape her lips as she imagined the scene.

"Really? He really did that?" She asked, and Kitty nodded sincerely, staring her right in the eye. In that moment, Marley realised that she had to give Ryder another chance. She went to retrieve her cell phone, before sitting back down at the table and finding Ryder's number.

"Marley?" A voice called, causing both Marley and Kitty to turn around. Millie Rose stood at the kitchen doorway, with a familiar frown on her face. "Are you about to call who I think you're about to call?" She asked with a sigh.

"Mom…Kitty explained everything. And since she's told me all this when she doesn't even like me…I trust her…" Marley explained, whilst Kitty nodded, particularly hard at the suggestion that she didn't like Marley- she certainly wasn't her biggest fan, but she was doing this for her friend Ryder, not the irritating girl. Millie simply sighed heavily, but knew she couldn't control her daughter's decisions. Marley avoided her Mother's eye contact, and turned back to Kitty.

"Did you come here by car?" she asked the blonde, who nodded. "Could you please perhaps drop me off at Ryder's…if he wants to see me?"

"Sure- if you don't mind my crappy hung-over driving. And trust me, he _will _want to see you." Kitty replied. Marley nodded gratefully and clicked the green phone next to Ryder's name, before holding the phone up to her ear.

"Marley?!" Ryder's familiar, slightly shocked and perhaps a little groggy voice called out.

"Hey…Ry it's me…" Marley took a deep breath. "I think I owe you an apology…can I come over please?"

"Really? Um…I mean…yes! Yes, yes, please come over as soon as possible! Or I can come to you, or…" He stammered out, his voice giving away his surprise and happiness.

"I don't think my Mom really wants you in the house, but…yeah…yeah I'll come over right now, well, as soon as I get dressed. Bye...see you in twenty minutes, I guess," she told him.

"See you in twenty! And thanks…in advance, for coming. And you don't need to apologise for anything, we just need to talk it over…bye…I…bye…"

Marley hung up the phone, and told Kitty she would run and get changed. Ten minutes later, after rushing to throw on a pair of jeans and a shirt, running a brush through her hair, and throwing on a small amount of makeup, she bounced down stairs, where the blonde was sipping on a glass of water given to her by a frowning Millie.

"Let's go," she said, before following Kitty out of the house and into her car. Next stop, Ryder's house.

**Hardly any Ryder in a Ryder-centric story, I apologise, but he will be well and truly back next chapter :) Also, Marley has come round- hopefully your reviews to this chapter will be happier than the last :p**

**Also, your guesses as to who Katie is continue to interest me…there **_**have **_**been correct guesses, that's all I'll say ;)**

**To my reviewers:**

_**LoveLoveLoveSuck: **_**I'm really sorry you feel that way! I hope I've fixed it for you now but please understand that a good story needs some ups and downs! (We don't want it turning into boring-arse season 4 jarley :p) I hold my hands up for the long updating- hopefully I will never take this long to update a chapter again- I am busy though so once per week is usually as best I can do.**

_**Ember411: **_**Hehe I'll bear that in mind! Wahhh you're scaring me haha- that's why I changed my mind, I thought I'd get some backlash to say the least! And pfff, silly Jake. Also thanks for your review for the last ryley week oneshot- glad you enjoyed the 20s terms! And aw, you called me your dear friend, so sweet :')**

_**TeaAndGlee: **_**Glad you loved the chapter…heheh she does need to leave! But she's not gone just yet!**

_**Guest (1): **_**I loved seeing your Kyder friendship related review come in, because I knew that you'd probably like this chapter? (Hope you did!) Kitty has very much got Ryder's back, so I hope you like that :)**

_**LittleMusicalOwl: **_**It just took a little push (or shouting) from Kitty, haha. I took joy from writing Jake getting shot down too! Hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as the last!**

_**Savannaramirez35:**_** I'm not trying to kill you, I promise :p Hope you enjoyed this update. And thanks, hehe, I think Melissa looks rather lovely from that angle XD I'm not even gay, just for her :p**

_**Gleek555: **_**Glad you liked the inclusion of the song! I definitely agree that Jake deserved a bit of a punching! Hmm, I'm afraid you'll have to wait a little bit to find out if you're right or wrong!**

_**Kalette: **_**Oh my gosh this is such a kind lovely review! Ugh I'm your fave? I feel so honoured, I hope I don't let you down! Yes! I am **_**super **_**excited for Billy Boy! Jennoist playing each other's love interests in a film is just…ugh, it's just a dream :') And yes, Melissa looks dayum fine in Wrecking Ball, can't wait for that either!**

_**guest (2): **_**I'm glad you liked the song inclusion! You were right to believe- Kitty was there to give Ryder a helping hand! Ryder will also get his say in the next chapter though :)**

_**Gleeatic713: **_**Oh, if only more men were like Ryder! Hehe, you'll have to wait a little bit longer to find out if you're right or not, but as I said, it's all there in the story ;) Also, thanks for your reviews to my ryley week oneshots! Asdfghjkl I died when Blake tweeted me :') He answered my question about if the Billy Boy Kickstarter was up yet (it wasn't.) You don't get the episodes for a few weeks?! Crikey! What country are you in? **

**Stay amazing people, and please drop this chapter a review. As I said, I will try and update very soon!**

**Lauren xxx**


	16. Chapter 16

**Happy Glee day folks! So I promised I would have this chapter done by Thursday at the latest and here it is :) Thanks again for your response to the last chapter- I'm glad you're cheered up by it now! Hope you enjoy this one too!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee!**

Kitty dropped Marley off at Ryder's house, and the brunette made her way anxiously to the door, leaving footprints in the light snow that was beginning to settle on the Lynn's drive. She paused to clear her throat and take a deep breath, before ringing the bell. Within seconds, it had been enthusiastically opened, and Ryder was stood there, looking at her with an expression of happiness and disbelief.

"Marley…you're here…" was all he managed to get out, before he stood there dumbstruck, waiting for her to speak.

"Yep…I'm here," she iterated, and, before they could fall into too much of a lovesick trance, she galloped forward and threw her arms round Ryder's neck, burying her head into his chest, beginning to sob somewhat uncontrollably. "I'm so sorry!" she wailed. "I'm such an idiot!"

"No you're not, Marls," he whispered soothingly, stroking her hair with one hand, and wrapping the other round her back. "Shhh, it's ok, I'm just so glad you're here," he told her, having to bite his lip very hard to stop his own tears from falling, for Marley had made him as soft and whipped as could be over the past few weeks. "Come inside, it's freezing," Ryder suggested, and they pulled apart so that they could go properly into the house. Marley wiped her tears with her hand as Ryder closed the front door, and managed a smile.

"Nice to see you back here, Marley!" exclaimed Ryder's Father, causing them both to jump as he appeared as if out of nowhere to walk into the dining room where he was doing some work. Marley smiled back, and Mr Lynn could vaguely be heard chuckling "the highs and lows of puppy love." He had taken a great shine to Marley ever since she appeared to tutor Ryder, but especially once Ryder had finally acknowledged to him that there was something much more between them. Whilst Marley and Ryder were not yet 'official' and they had therefore not yet had a formal introduction, unlike Millie Rose, he and Ryder's mother approved of the pairing, to say the least.

"We can go in the living room," said Ryder, whilst rolling his eyes at his Dad. Marley nodded and followed him in, where they sat down on one of the posh leather sofas.

"So…what made you change your mind?" Ryder asked.

"Kitty told me everything…" she replied, and Ryder looked back in shock.

"Kitty?!" he asked, eyes widened.

"Mhmm…she stalked down my house this morning whilst hung-over to talk to me. She told me everything you told her last night…the stalker…the truth about the photo…you mumbling my name in your alcohol-induced sleep," she added with a slight giggle.

"Wait…I did that?" Ryder asked, his face turning scarlet, before shaking his head as Marley nodded with a shy smile. "Wait so she told you about the stalker? Cos I've gotta be honest, I drank so much last night I can't even remember what I told _her." _He confessed.

"She told me you had a 'crazy pyscho stalker'. That was all. Why didn't you tell me, Ry? That's like…a big thing!" She asked, only wondering this herself now.

"I would have Marley, I don't have anything to hide, I just…I didn't want to worry you. When Kitty said 'pyscho' she wasn't exactly exaggerating." Marley frowned, and Ryder continued. "I'll tell you now. Long story short, I started talking to this girl called Katie online over summer. She was really cool, really pretty, we had loads in common, and I wanted to meet her. But she refused, no matter how hard I persisted." Marley nodded. "Then _you _came along," Ryder continued. "And I realised that I shouldn't continue trying with some virtual girl just stringing me along, when I could be with someone like you for real. So, when you and I started getting close, I called the whole thing off, and she went _crazy. _Told me I was gonna regret it, and all that. _She _was the one who paid that girl to kiss me, Marls, so that she could get you away from me." Marley frowned and hummed for a minute, taking in all the outlandish information.

"So that's why you asked me if I knew a Katie," she mumbled, as the penny dropped.

"Yeah…cos she said she knew you. But then again, she said some horrible, untrue things about you, so maybe she just knew _of you _but not like, really '_knew' _knew you, if you know what I mean." He wondered, and Marley nodded, shrugging.

"So you've never actually met her in real life?" Marley inquired, and Ryder nodded. "So, how do you know the girl who kissed you wasn't her?" She asked.

"She had dark hair. Katie has blond hair in her profile picture. Their faces were totally different too," Ryder explained.

"But how do you know the girl in the picture is Katie?" Marley asked with a raised eyebrow, and Ryder felt a chill run down his spine. He had never thought of that…he had never imagined the possibility that Katie might be someone else entirely. Marley noticed his look of horror, and tried to change the subject. "Don't worry about it unless you need to, Ry. And thank you for telling me."

"Now look who's the idiot…" Ryder mumbled dejectedly. "If I'd told you before you might not have thought as much of the kiss…" he realised.

"No…I probably still would've overreacted," she admitted. "It's in my nature…I'm used to being hurt. But that's no excuse for me reacting like I did." She told him, all the guilt flooding back. Ryder pressed his lips onto hers in an attempt to soothe her. "I'm sorry…I'm sorry…I'm sorry," Marley muttered to Ryder in between kisses, as they now lay cuddled up to one another.

"Stop…apologising," Ryder replied. "It was a case of my old reputation proceeding me…if I hadn't had that reputation to begin with, you wouldn't have jumped to that conclusion-"

"No, I don't buy that." Marley protested, interrupting. "I was wrong. This wasn't your fault. And I feel awful about it and I'll feel even more awful if you continue to blame yourself, so please say that the fault was mine. Go on. I want to hear those words from your mouth," she persisted. Ryder sighed heavily.

"Okay. The fault was yours. But I totally forgive you- I'm just glad you're here with me now." He told her sincerely, caressing her cheek gently with his thumb before bending down to give her another peck on the lips.

"I'm glad too," she replied, snuggling up to him and resting her head on one of his broad shoulders, sighing contentedly and mentally remarking on how much she had missed the feeling.

"So what have I missed in the world of Marley Rose these past couple of weeks?" Ryder asked her.

"Oh, something big actually," she announced, sitting up slightly to look at him. He nodded eagerly at her to continue, clearly interested. "I sent off my written application to NYADA…" she said, biting her lip nervously at the thought of it.

"You did? Marley, that's awesome! Did you write about tutoring me all the way to a B in English?" He asked, with an enthusiastic grin.

"I did." She nodded. "But I can't take credit for all of that, you know."

"So what now?" he asked.

"Now…I have to wait to see if I get put on the list of finalists- hopefully I'll find out in the next month or so, or maybe after Christmas vacation...can you believe it's in like a week? Anyway…if I do, I'll have to audition…the dean will come all the way to Ohio and I'll have to perform for her, under that pressure…" she trailed off, shuddering at the mere thought of it.

"You'll be awesome," Ryder assured her. "Do you have any backup plans, just in case?"

"Yeah, I'm applying to other schools in New York, too. It's where I wanna be…but I just really hope NYADA works out, because as I told you before, singing is all I want to do. What about you?" she asked. "How's your scholarship application going?"

"Good actually…Lima University are interested in me, Jake, and another guy on the school team, James, but they can only accept one of us, so…" He explained.

"And you want to stay in Lima, now?" Marley asked, trying to hide her sadness at the idea of them being so far apart in just a few months' time.

"Well…I know I said I wanted to get out of this hellhole, but…a college scholarship for football is a huge opportunity, and Lima looks like my only hope for one, so…" he rambled, feeling a slight sense of dread at the idea of them being parted himself.

"No…you're right. It's an amazing opportunity and you should really go for it," she implored, with a reassuring smile.

"I'm going to, but…we're saying all this and I only have a one in three chance…and I have to maintain my GPA, which you know is hard for me, and, well…after I punched Jake the other day, I can't afford another blip on my disciplinary record…" he admitted.

"Well, as your tutor, I will help you with that," she said with a smile. "And _no more punching!" _She told him firmly with a mock teacher's voice, before they burst into a fit of giggles.

"Yes Miss Rose." Ryder played along. "No more punching. Unless someone hurts you. Then they'd be dead meat." This time, his tone was more serious.

"Ry…" she protested, but he cut her off.

"I mean it. If anyone does anything to hurt you, I'll forget about football in a heartbeat," he announced, earning a loud, disapproving sigh from Marley. "Anyway," he said, more light-heartedly. "We have lost time to make up for. I'll go ring Breadstix, see if they have any tables for tonight." Marley squealed with delight at this suggestion, and pecked him on the cheek before allowing him to leave their embrace to get his phone.

**Hooray! Ryley are good again, Marley knows about the Katie saga, and in the Ryder's Chance universe, Christmas and New Year are even closer than in real life :) I wonder what it will have in store for them…**

**Also, I am English and therefore have zero knowledge of the American university application system, so I'm just going off what I've seen on Glee, or what will work for the plot of the story…I accept that both of these factors mean it will be completely different to real life, but hey :p**

**Before I reply to your reviews, some campaigning on behalf of my beloved Jennoist: If you didn't already know, Blake has written the script for an indie film named Billy Boy that he and Melissa hope to star in together! But they need our help to raise money for it to happen, so if you would like to donate any sum, no matter how big or small, go here (minus the brackets,) they also have some pretty epic rewards if you do:**

**http(:) projects/2064903629/billy-boy?ref=live**

**So, in response to your lovely reviews:**

_**Kalette: **_**Thank you so much! Of course we can be friends! Pop into my ask box on tumblr any time and talk to me :) I can't believe it but I can in a way…I hope that's what it means too! Thank you thank you thank you, this review was so lovely!**

_**LittleMusicalOwl: **_**Three cheers indeed! Aw that's so cute! I can't wait for it, now that I've heard it's amazing I just want to see it as well! Hope you liked this chapter.**

_**Ember411: **_**Well, how perfect that I did update on Thursday :D …you'll have to wait and see but… ;) Yes I am so excited for Billy Boy, I am an official backer, too :D**

_**Savannaramirez35:**_** Hooray, I'm so pleased you loved it :) She did, I'm glad too. Hehe, everyone loves the Benoist!**

_**Guest(2): **_**Yay! I'm glad you're happy about that :) Here is your more :p**

_**TeaAndGlee: **_**I'm so happy you liked it! I love the karley frenemyship too, I wish they would explore it more on the show…I guess it, like every Marley storyline, just fizzled out when jarley happened…**

_**Gleek555: **_**I'm so pleased you're loving the ryley! I really, really hope it is! I loved it too! Ugh yes, Will was such a doucheface -_-**

_**eXtraOrdinaryGirl04: **_**Haha, don't worry about it, but thank you for doing it now! I'm so pleased you're still enjoying the story :') I sure did! (cries again) You seem to like the fluff, so I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and you will hopefully enjoy the next few :)**

_**Gleeatic713: **_**You're like a little detective, always searching for a theory :p Oh Ireland! Closer than I thought- until you said you hadn't seen all the s5 episodes I thought you were American, but then, I tend to assume that everyone is American until they tell me otherwise :p The episodes come out super late in England too, but I don't have Sky, and in any case I'm studying in France atm so I'm forced to watch online wherever I am, so I just watch it as soon as it becomes available, it makes sense that way :) Glad you're still enjoying the story :D**

_**Guest (2): **_**Asdfghjkl thanks, this was such a lovely review! I think that's my favourite thing about Kitty on the show- she's kind at heart but sassy and snappy at the same time :p Ahh thanks! Those are the two biggest compliments a fanfic author can receive! *hugs* **__

_**Iheartart13: **_**Aww, I saw this review just before uploading this chapter and it was so sweet! Haha, I wish I could update daily but sadly life gets in the way, and weekly is more likely :p Aww I'm so pleased you like the way I write Marley and Ryder, that's so kind :) Interesting guesses but I'm keeping quiet ;) Hope you enjoyed this chapter too!**

**As always, thank you for reading! See you next time,**

**Lauren xxx**


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